Ben Shelton beats defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in five-set US Open quarterfinal thriller

Published Sep 9, 10:52 AM UTC

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Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling US Open quarter-final match that went to a deciding set, marking the latest finish in tournament history. The match, covered live by The Guardian, saw Shelton edge out the Spanish star in a dramatic contest. Reuters confirmed Alcaraz's defeat, while The New York Times highlighted the historic late finish. The scheduling of the match sparked outrage, with Yahoo Sports reporting criticism that such late-night play should be illegal, especially after the Pegula-Navarro clash. The BBC analyzed how Alcaraz could have ended American dreams at the tournament. The result is a major upset, ending Alcaraz's title defense and propelling Shelton into the semi-finals.

Source report

Match Overview

Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open quarter-finals, pushing the match to a deciding set in what became the latest finish in tournament history.

Key Headlines

The Guardian: "US Open 2026 quarter-final: Ben Shelton v Carlos Alcaraz goes to deciding set – live"
Reuters: "Defending US Open champion Alcaraz beaten in quarter-finals by Shelton"
Yahoo Sports: "'This Behavior Should Be Illegal' – Alcaraz-Shelton Scheduling Outrage Intensifies After Pegula-Navarro US Open Clash"
The New York Times: "Ben Shelton edges out Carlos Alcaraz in thrilling latest U.S. Open finish in history"
BBC: "How Alcaraz can single-handedly end American dreams"

Match Details

Event: US Open 2026 quarter-final
Players: Ben Shelton (USA) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Outcome: Shelton defeated the defending champion Alcaraz
Notable: The match featured the latest finish in US Open history

Controversy

The scheduling of the Alcaraz-Shelton match has drawn criticism, with Yahoo Sports reporting that the late finish sparked outrage, particularly following the earlier Pegula-Navarro clash at the same tournament.

Source

Part of this Story

Ben Shelton defeats defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in latest-finishing US Open match

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People and interests

Carlos Alcaraz