Shelton defeats Alcaraz 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 in latest-ever US Open finish on September 9

Ben Shelton, seeded eighth, defeated defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-3 1-6 7-6 (10-7) in a five-set quarterfinal on September 9 that ended at 3:34 a.m. ET, the latest finish in US Open tournament history according to BBC Sport. The match lasted 4 hours and 28 minutes, per BBC Sport.

Shelton's victory over world No. 3 Alcaraz carries weight beyond the late hour. According to ESPN, this marks Shelton's first win over a top-three player in 17 attempts, and he had lost all three prior meetings with Alcaraz. The result guarantees an American finalist for the first time since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003, per BBC Sport.

Alcaraz's record at the US Open entering the match stood at 28 wins in 31 matches, representing a win rate above 90 percent, according to BBC Sport. The defending champion had won the Australian Open earlier this year and carried an 18-match Grand Slam winning streak into the quarterfinal, per ESPN. He had missed the French Open and Wimbledon with injury, per BBC Sport.

Shelton and 11th-seeded Frances Tiafoe will meet in Friday's semifinal. According to ESPN, Tiafoe defeated Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on Tuesday to advance. The semifinal will mark the first match between Black American men in the semifinals or later of a major in the Open era, per ESPN. According to ESPN, one will become the first Black American man to reach a US Open final since Arthur Ashe in 1972.

Shelton reached his third major semifinal, according to ESPN. His prior semifinal runs came at the 2023 US Open and 2025 Australian Open. According to ESPN, he is the first American to beat the defending US Open champion in five sets since 18-year-old Peter Sampras defeated Mats Wilander in 1989. Thousands of fans stayed to witness the finish, per ESPN.

Alcaraz mounted a late rally in the fifth set. According to ESPN, he ran off four straight points in the deciding tiebreaker to go ahead 5-3, but Shelton closed out the match. According to ESPN, Shelton finished with a 146 mph serve. The loss left Alcaraz with a record of 15-2 in five-set matches, per ESPN. For context, according to ESPN, no man has defended his US Open title since Roger Federer won five straight from 2004 to 2008. The current streak of 18 straight US Opens without a repeat champion is the second-longest in tournament history, per ESPN, after 19 straight from 1961 to 1979 before John McEnroe defended his title in 1980.