Official US Open match reports and scoreboards verify Shelton's 3:33 a.m. five-set victory.
Ben Shelton dumps Carlos Alcaraz out of US Open
American reaches the semifinals in a five-set match finishing at a record 3:33 a.m.
The story continues
Carlos Alcaraz risks ranking points over 11 PM curfews
27 September 2026The Spanish star demands night limits and plans long breaks following a 3:34 AM finish.
In a nutshell
Ben Shelton eliminated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal that concluded at 3:33 a.m., establishing the latest finish in US Open history and setting up an all-American semifinal against Frances Tiafoe that ends a 23-year domestic drought in the men's final.
Highlights
- Shelton ended an 18-match Grand Slam winning streak for Alcaraz.
- The 3:33 a.m. finish broke the tournament record for the latest completed match.
- Shelton closed out the 10-point super tiebreak with a 146 mph unreturnable serve.
- The result guarantees the first American male singles finalist at the tournament since 2003.
From the Editor’s Diary
Late-night endurance tests often turn on a single high-pressure sequence; holding serve under deficit pressure remains the ultimate differentiator at the highest level of Grand Slam tennis.
Who's involved
Ben Shelton
Eighth-seeded American player seeking his first major final
goal → Reach the final and secure his first career Grand Slam title
Carlos Alcaraz
Defending tournament champion and Spanish world number two
goal → Retain his title and prolong an 18-match major winning streak
Frances Tiafoe
Eleventh-seeded American contender
goal → Defeat Shelton to reach his first career Grand Slam final
United States Tennis Association
National governing body organizing the tournament
goal → Oversee night-session schedules and stadium operations
In short
TL;DR: Ben Shelton upset defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a record five-set late-night quarterfinal to secure an all-American semifinal at the US Open. The win guarantees an American man will reach the tournament final for the first time since 2003.
Q: How did Ben Shelton change the US Open field by defeating Carlos Alcaraz?
- Shelton eliminated the defending champion and halted Alcaraz's 18-match Grand Slam winning streak.
How it unfolded
Midnight duel begins under the Ashe lights
Earlier scheduling delays pushed the quarterfinal into late Tuesday night, leaving eighth seed Ben Shelton and second seed Carlos Alcaraz to walk out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium near midnight. The late start forced spectators and players into an overnight test of endurance as the two traded heavy blows from the baseline into Wednesday morning.
Shelton rallies in tiebreak to break late-finish mark
Four sets could not separate them, dragging the contest past 3:00 a.m. and into a deciding fifth-set match tiebreak. Alcaraz built a 5–3 lead, but Shelton countered behind a barrage of heavy serves, taking seven of the final nine points to finish the match at 3:33 a.m. and establish the latest finish in US Open history.
Where things stand
Ben Shelton's victory is confirmed, setting up a Friday semifinal against Frances Tiafoe. Carlos Alcaraz departs after his 18-match Grand Slam winning streak was snapped in the quarterfinal stage.
The tournament now turns to the all-American semifinal, which ensures the United States will have a representative in the men's final on Sunday.