Ben Shelton eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz from the 2026 US Open in a five-set quarterfinal that didn’t end until 3:33 a.m. in New York, the latest finish in the tournament’s history. The 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) win also snapped Alcaraz’s 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam events, one of the longest active runs in men’s tennis, and sends Shelton into a semifinal against fellow American Frances Tiafoe.
What happened on court
The match swung wildly across its four hours and 28 minutes. Alcaraz took the opening set in a tiebreak, then Shelton answered by winning the next two sets convincingly, 6-1 and 6-3, to move within one set of the upset. Alcaraz forced a decider by taking the fourth set 6-1, and the fifth went the distance, ending in a second-set tiebreak that Shelton won 10-7 after saving the pressure points that mattered most.
Because the match started late in the evening session and ran deep into a decisive fifth set, the final point was played at 3:33 a.m. local time, breaking the previous US Open record for the latest finish, itself set by an Alcaraz match two years earlier that ended at 2:50 a.m.
Why ending the streak matters
Alcaraz arrived at this US Open as the defending champion and on an 18-match winning streak across Grand Slam tournaments, a run that had made him the clear favorite to repeat. Grand Slam winning streaks of that length are rare even among the sport’s best players, since they require sustained health, form, and draw luck across best-of-five-set matches over two weeks at a time, four times a year. Shelton is the player who broke it, and he did so from a set and a break down, not against a player already fading.
For Shelton, the win matters beyond one result. He’s now into his second Grand Slam semifinal, having previously reached the final four of the US Open before losing to Novak Djokovic. Facing Tiafoe next means the tournament will have its first all-American men’s semifinal in years, a storyline the US Open has been missing since the American men’s game began producing serious Grand Slam contenders again.
Who is Ben Shelton?
Shelton is an American left-hander known for one of the biggest serves on tour, a game built around power rather than the grinding baseline style more common among today’s top players. He turned professional in 2022 after a standout college career at the University of Florida, where he won an NCAA singles title, an unusual path in an era when most top players skip college entirely and turn pro as teenagers.
He reached his first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2023 Australian Open in just his second major tournament appearance, and has since become a fixture in the second week of majors, known for his aggressive net play and his willingness to go for big shots at the moments other players tend to play it safe.
What people get wrong about this result
This wasn’t a fluke against a tired opponent. Alcaraz was the reigning champion and heavy favorite, not a player limping through the draw. Shelton had to win a deciding-set tiebreak to close it out, the format that most reliably reflects which player actually played better in the moments that counted.
A broken streak doesn’t mean Alcaraz’s season is in trouble. Long win streaks eventually end for every player, no matter how dominant; the surprise is usually the timing and opponent, not that it happened at all. Alcaraz remains one of the top two or three players in the world regardless of this loss.
Late finishes aren’t unique to this match, but this one set a real record. Grand Slam night sessions have produced plenty of past-midnight finishes, and this specific 3:33 a.m. finish is now the latest in US Open history, ahead of the previous mark set in 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What was the final score of Ben Shelton vs. Carlos Alcaraz?
Shelton won 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7), taking the match in a fifth-set tiebreak after four hours and 28 minutes.
Why was this match the latest-ever finish at the US Open?
A late evening start combined with a full five-set match pushed the final point to 3:33 a.m. in New York, surpassing the previous record of 2:50 a.m., set in an earlier Alcaraz quarterfinal.
How long was Carlos Alcaraz’s Grand Slam winning streak before this loss?
Alcaraz had won 18 consecutive matches at Grand Slam tournaments heading into this quarterfinal, a streak that included his run to the previous year’s US Open title.
Who does Ben Shelton play next?
Shelton advances to a semifinal against fellow American Frances Tiafoe, giving the tournament an all-American men’s semifinal.
Has Ben Shelton reached a Grand Slam final before?
Not yet. He has reached multiple Grand Slam semifinals, including at the Australian Open and previously at the US Open, but has not yet advanced to a major final.
