FLUSHING MEADOW – (Wire Service Report) – Ben Shelton is New York’s new late-night king.
The eighth-seeded Atlanta native pulled off an upset at the U.S. Open for one of the biggest wins of his career, overtaking the defending champion, second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, for a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) win in the quarterfinals early Wednesday morning.
The 4-hour, 28-minute match ended at 3:33 a.m. local time, the latest-ever finish at the U.S. Open. The old record? A 2:50 a.m. finish in the 2022 quarterfinals, when Alcaraz defeated Italy’s Jannik Sinner en route to his first U.S. title.
A large crowd stayed until the end, rooting on the home-country competitor.
‘For me, it’s always about the people in the crowd, whether it’s my coaches and my team over there, all my family and friends over here or the city of New York,’ Shelton said postmatch on court. ‘They showed up tonight until 3 a.m. with the USA chants until the very end. That’s what kept me going and that’s what got me this win tonight. …
‘I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world. I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world. … I’m just so grateful, so blessed … to be here in front of you (fans) tonight, it’s an absolute honor. Sharing the court with Carlos is an absolute honor, and I cherish every moment I have out here.’
Shelton set up an all-U.S. semifinal, as he will oppose Frances Tiafoe on Friday. The No. 11 seed completed a dramatic comeback on Tuesday, defeating fellow American Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
The Shelton-Tiafoe winner will be just the second U.S. man to appear in a U.S. Open final over the past 20 years. Taylor Fritz lost the 2024 championship match to Italy’s Jannik Sinner. The last U.S. player to capture the men’s singles crown at Flushing Meadows was Andy Roddick in 2003.
Shelton, 23, is through to his third career Grand Slam semifinal as he seeks his first appearance in a major final. He lost in the semis at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open.
For Alcaraz, the quarterfinal defeat completes a disappointing summer. He won the Australian Open to begin the year but subsequently missed four months due to a wrist injury that kept him out of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Shelton had lost all three of his previous matches against Alcaraz, though the two hadn’t squared off in more than a year.
Earlier, Michelsen built a two-sets-to-love lead at Arthur Ashe Stadium. He served for the victory in the third set before Tiafoe broke and rallied to win three straight games, forcing a fourth set.
‘He’s a hell of a player, and he easily could have won today,’ Tiafoe said in the post-match on-court interview.
After powering through the fourth set, Tiafoe overcame an early three-game deficit to force a fifth-set tiebreak.
The 4-hour, 39-minute marathon finally came to an end when Tiafoe built a 9-6 advantage in the tiebreak and then connected on his winner in front of an energetic crowd.
‘The energy was incredible, as it is always,’ Tiafoe said to the appreciative crowd afterward. ‘You guys were really for me and I really appreciate that.’
Tiafoe, 28, improved to 3-0 against the 22-year-old Michelsen, who acquitted himself well despite the loss.
Michelsen at times showed dominant form with 21 aces. The world’s 46th-ranked player also endured 61 unforced errors, helping to open the door for the Tiafoe comeback.
‘He gave me some gifts, a couple double faults there, but then I slowly, slowly started to get my rhythm there,’ Tiafoe acknowledged.
Tiafoe is headed to his third career major semifinal, all at the U.S. Open (2022, 2024).
–Field Level Media