Record late finish as Shelton stuns Alcaraz

Ben Shelton wrapped up the latest match finish in US Open history early Wednesday with a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) marathon win which sent Carlos Alcaraz out in the quarter-finals.

The American winner, seeded eighth, will play countryman Frances Tiafoe, who won another epic over countryman Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (10-6).

The match ended around three-quarters of an hour later than the previous record all-nighter, when Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in a quarter-final that ended at 2:50 a.m.

Shelton drilled a service ace past two-time defending champion Alcaraz to end proceedings after four hours, 28 minutes of play as the clock struck just after 3:30 a.m.

Fans rushed out post-match to try and catch 24-hour subway trains back to the city as the controversy over unreasonably late finishes is sure to flare against this week.

Shelton duplicated his Open semi-final from 2023 and a final four appearance at the 2025 Australian Open. 

He and Tiafoe will play an all-American semi for the third time this century after  

Andre Agassi – Robby Ginepri (USO 2005) and Taylor Fritz-Tiafoe (USO 2024).

Shelton could do little more than praise the fervent fans who stayed until the end. 

“It’s always about the people in the crowd and my coaches, family and friends who showed up tonight and stayed until 3 a.m.,” the son of a former ATP player said.

“That stayed with me to the end and got me the win tonight.”

Shelton paid the obligatory homage to the most chaotic and pricey of the four Grand Slams: ‘It’s incredible, this is the greatest sports city in the world.

“I’m grateful and blessed to be here, it was an honour to share the court with Carlos.”

The Spaniard who won the title in 2022 and last year, earned the first set but was unable to keep up his level as he won only four games as Shelton roared to win nine on the trot and establish a 2-1 lead on sets .

The 23-year-old from Florida held on through an Alcaraz resurgence to take the fourth before reapplying the pressure on an opponent who was playing his first event since missing nearly five months with a wrist injury.

Alcaraz lost for just the second time in 33 matches at a major since Roland Garros last year and had won 18 straight coming into the Shelton encounter. He had never lost to an American at the Slams, but now stands 13-1 in his career.

While the victorious Shelton called the contest “the most  enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career,” Alcaraz also walked away relatively satisfied even in defeat.

“My expectation was to go there, compete, play in these kind of matches for me being healthy.

“It was close. So I’m just not going to be disappointed about don’t getting the win at the end.
“I’m just happy. I’m just proud about myself, about how I fought.

“After the third set, physically I was really tired, but I found a way to push myself up and physically giving extra.

“In the fifth set I just started to feel better and better, but you know, I was playing against one of the — he is a beast.

“Shelton is an unbelievable player, powerful. He just managed how to play really, really well in every situation, so credit to him.

“But, you know, I leave the court happy. I leave the court with a smile, healthy, and this is what I needed.”

Main photo:- Ben Shelton makes an acrobatic return during win over Alcaraz – by ISF Ltd