Ben Shelton closed out the latest finish in US Open history early Wednesday morning, blasting a 146 mph ace past defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at 3:33 a.m. to end a four-hour, 28-minute quarterfinal marathon under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The eighth-seeded American won the deciding fifth-set tiebreak 10-7, eliminating the tournament's second seed and setting up an all-American semifinal against Frances Tiafoe.
A New Latest-Finish Record at Flushing Meadows
Shelton's victory shattered the previous mark for the latest finish in tournament history, set at 2:50 a.m. in September 2022, when Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarterfinal on his way to his first US Open title, according to CBS News. That 2022 breakthrough helped launch Alcaraz into the sport's elite, but four years later it was Shelton delivering the finishing blow, ending Alcaraz's 18-match Grand Slam winning streak in the process, as reported by NBC News.
The match itself swung wildly. Shelton dropped the opening set in a tiebreak before storming back to take the second and third sets, only for Alcaraz to level things with a lopsided 6-1 fourth set, per the same NBC News account. Alcaraz vomited into a towel during the match, a visible sign of the physical toll the contest was taking on the Spaniard, who was playing his first tournament since April.
Alcaraz's Rocky Return From Injury
Alcaraz entered the US Open following a four-month layoff caused by a right wrist injury sustained in April, making Flushing Meadows his first tournament back, according to CFJC Today. That absence, and the physical distress he showed during the match, help explain how a player who out-hit his opponent still lost. The Guardian's live coverage noted Alcaraz committed 53 unforced errors compared to Shelton's 35, despite hitting more winners, 38 to 34, a statistical gap that ultimately decided the match despite Alcaraz's superior shot-making.
The loss ends Alcaraz's title defense and continues a rough summer for the sport's biggest names. The Guardian's coverage of the match underscored both the tactical swings and the physical strain visible during changeovers as the night wore on.
An All-American Semifinal With History on the Line
Shelton now advances to face Frances Tiafoe, who beat Alex Michelsen to reach the semifinal, guaranteeing an American man a place in Sunday's final. No American man has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick captured the US Open in September 2003, meaning the tournament is assured its best shot in 23 years at ending that drought, according to WSB Radio.
Shelton holds a 3-1 career head-to-head edge over Tiafoe entering the semifinal, per Tennis Abstract. The winner will play for the championship on Sunday.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who played Alcaraz in that 2022 record-late match, missed this year's tournament entirely because of a persistent knee injury, according to SBS News. His absence removed one of Alcaraz's primary rivals and a top title contender from the men's draw altogether.
Late Nights Become a Pattern at This Year's Open
Shelton and Alcaraz's marathon was not an isolated incident. The 2026 US Open had already recorded three post-2 a.m. finishes within its first six days, a tournament record that renewed player complaints about late-night scheduling and recovery time, per Inquirer Sports. Alexander Zverev was also involved in a late-night match of his own this tournament, part of a broader trend of physical exhaustion Hoodline previously chronicled with Djokovic's collapse.
Late-night scheduling can produce marathon finishes that test player endurance and push against traditional broadcast hours, a tension Shelton and Alcaraz's match put on full display.
The stakes extended beyond the scoreboard. The 2026 US Open offered a record $108 million player compensation package, a 20 percent increase from 2025, including $5.5 million payouts for the singles champions, according to Forbes. For Shelton, who will compete in his third major semifinal, the marathon win over a defending champion pushes him one step closer to a place in American tennis history.
