Ben Shelton Upsets Carlos Alcaraz in Latest-Ever US Open Finish at 3:33 a.m., Wins Five-Set Thriller to Reach All-American Semifinal

American Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-ever finish in US Open history, a five-set thriller that ended at 3:33 a.m. ET on September 9 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to NBC News, CNN, and CBS Sports. The eighth-seeded Shelton won 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) after four hours and 28 minutes, ending Alcaraz's 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments. Shelton sealed the biggest win of his career with a 146 mph ace to take the fifth-set tiebreak 9-7, hitting the serve out wide at 3:33 a.m. The match saw momentum swing between the two players throughout. Alcaraz won the first-set tiebreak 7-5, but Shelton stormed back to take the next two sets. The Spanish second seed won the fourth set 6-1 to force a deciding fifth set that went to a tiebreak. After a 146 mph ace from Shelton to hold and move to 7-6 in front, Alcaraz blinked with a shot deep beyond the baseline to give Shelton the chance to serve out the match at 8-7. Thousands of fans stuck around to watch the epic, with Shelton buoyed by the home support. The American made just 35 unforced errors and hit 34 winners to reach the third grand slam semifinal of his career and beat a top-3 player for the first time. It was a war, Shelton said afterward. The upset matters because it ends Alcaraz's title defense and guarantees an American man will reach the US Open final. Shelton now faces fellow American and 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals, meaning one of them will snap the 23-year drought since the last American man lifted a grand slam title, Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. For Alcaraz, the loss brings an end to a difficult season plagued by injury. The Spaniard missed both Wimbledon and the French Open but did win the Australian Open title at the start of 2026, his seventh major trophy. I leave the court with a smile, Alcaraz said. Shelton played a very complete, very mature match. He knew exactly what to do at every moment. Physically, he's a beast.