Ben Shelton stunned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set epic to reach the US Open semi-finals, with the match finishing at 3:35am ET – the latest finish in tournament history.
The American won 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 after four hours and 31 minutes, delighting the home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was Shelton's third grand slam semi-final appearance and his second at Flushing Meadows, following his run in 2023.
Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury, took the first set in a tiebreak, but Shelton, the world No 9, responded by taking the next two sets. Alcaraz forced a decider by claiming the fourth set 6-1.
In the fifth, Shelton rallied from a mini-break down in the deciding tiebreak, clinching victory with an ace at 10-7. He now faces Frances Tiafoe, who beat Alex Michelsen in five sets.