Ben Shelton Upsets Carlos Alcaraz In U.S. Open Quarterfinal

Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a U.S. Open quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m. On Wednesday. The 23-year-old American won 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) to reach his second semifinal at the tournament, as reported by Defector.

Shelton’s victory was built on overperforming in areas where he has traditionally struggled. His return game, statistically the worst among the tour’s top 50 players, held up under pressure. He hit what the source described as perhaps 15 of the best backhands of his life, shots executed with a technique previously thought unsound. Most surprisingly, Shelton won 12 of the 26 points in rallies that extended to nine shots or more, a domain where he has historically been vulnerable.

The Serve as Foundation

The American’s key weapon remains his serve. The 6-foot-4 player reached 149 mph during the match and employs a rich variety of spin and location. Over the past 52 weeks, he has held serve 90.4 percent of the time, a figure second on tour only to Jannik Sinner. This serve, the source states, is the clear reason Shelton has broken into the world’s top 10. It provides a floor that allows him to push any match to a tiebreak.

Historical Weaknesses Overcome

Counterbalancing that dominant serve has been a return game the source labels as the worst in the top 50. The data from Tennis Abstract supports this, showing Shelton with a break percentage of 13.1 and winning just 31.9 percent of return points. He has struggled with finer racket control on shorter swings, especially when rushed from the baseline. This had led the Defector writer to be skeptical of Shelton’s chances against gatekeepers like Alcaraz, who had removed him from three Grand Slams earlier in the year.

Alcaraz’s Return and Rally

Carlos Alcaraz was playing his first tournament after a four-month layoff due to inflammation in the tendon sheath of his right wrist. He reported no pain and had appeared to round into “tour-destroying” form, dismissing Tommy Paul in straight sets in the previous round. His forehand was seen as a major threat to Shelton’s middling backhand in crosscourt patterns.

During the match, however, Alcaraz faltered enough to narrow the gap. He made baseline errors and double faults. The source notes Alcaraz vomited into a towel at least twice in the late stages. He still had chances in the deciding tiebreak, including a straightforward backhand down the line that would have given him a mini-break advantage. In the end, he committed too many unforced errors against what the source calls “the best possible version of Shelton.”

Aftermath and Next Match

Alcaraz left the court smiling, telling reporters, “I leave the court with a smile, healthy, and this is what I needed.” The visual evidence of that smile suggested he was not overly haunted by the loss, which served as an encouraging test after his long layoff.

Shelton now advances to an all-American semifinal on Friday against Frances Tiafoe. Both players have produced their best career results on the hard courts of the U.S. Open. It will be the third meeting between them at the tournament since 2023. The source concludes that perhaps Shelton is more like “John Isner with 5G.”