Ben Shelton clinched the biggest win of his career as he defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set epic stretching deep into the New York night to reach the semi-finals of the US Open. The American prevailed 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-1 1-6 7-6 (10-7) over four hours and 28 minutes to reward a raucous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gripped until 3.33am in what was the latest-ever finish to a US Open match. It marked Shelton's first career win over a top-three player, against which he had been 0-17 coming into the match.
Shelton will now play Frances Tiafoe in the final four after his fellow countryman's thrilling five-set victory over Alex Michelsen earlier in the evening. "For me it's always about the people in the crowd, whether it's my coaches, team or friends and family, or the city of New York that showed up tonight until 3am with the USA chants, that's what kept me going and what got me this win," Shelton said on-court. This is the greatest sports city and greatest stadium in the world.
I'm hoping my best friend and sister don't have to be at work at 6am. "I'm so grateful, so blessed to be in front of you guys and share the court with Carlos is an absolute honour." Shelton's victory means the United States is guaranteed representation in Sunday's men's final, with Andy Roddick the last American man to win a major title back in 2003. It also spelled the end of Alcaraz's courageous return to the court having been out for more than four months with a wrist injury and initially been a doubt to compete in New York.
The seven-time major champion, playing his first tournament since April, was seen vomiting before the beginning of the final set, which culminated in a 10-point match-deciding tie-break. Shelton heads into his third Grand Slam semi-final having previously reached the final four of the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open. Having lost the opening tie-break, the 23-year-old stormed to nine straight games on his way to dominant second and third sets.
Back came Alcaraz to send it to a decider, where he would win four successive points to lead 5-3 in the tie-break before inviting Shelton to turn things around. In true Shelton fashion, he iced the game with a serve of 146mph that Alcaraz failed to tame, bringing the New York crowd to their feet. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Frances Tiafoe recovered from two sets and erased a 0-3 deficit in the fifth set to beat American compatriot Alex Michelsen 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6 (10-6), reaching the semi-finals for a third time.
The 11th seed appeared to have lost all the magic of his early campaign before claiming the momentum in the third set and clinching it with a forehand winner to the deafening cheers of the fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Michelsen had flown under the radar in his deepest major run but earned respect on the biggest stage of American tennis with 21 aces, and Tiafoe cut his own celebration short to comfort the 22-year-old in an emotional embrace. Follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp for the latest sports news, videos, features, analysis and much more "I hope he gets tight," Tiafoe said of his mindset at 4-5 down in the third set.
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