In the quarter-finals of the US Open 2026, Ben Shelton stunned world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in a 5 set clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday. In a grueling game that lasted 4 hours and 28 minutes, Shelton won 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7).
With this win, Shelton also ended defending champion Alcaraz’s 18 match Grand Slam winning streak to march into the semi-finals for the first time since 2023.
How did Ben Shelton defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open 2026 quarter-finals?
Carlos Alcaraz made his return to the court after a 4.5-month injury break sustained during the Barcelona Open in April. The Spaniard also missed Wimbledon during his injury layoff.
Ben Shelton, who was coming into this tournament under serious pressure after crashing out in the first round of Wimbledon, had gained confidence after winning his breakthrough Masters 1000 title in Toronto a week before the US Open.
Shelton started by losing the first set in a tie-break 6-7 (5-7. However, the American player made a stunning comeback by winning 9 consecutive games to take a 2-1 lead.
Alcaraz bounced back in dominant fashion with a 6-1 win in the fourth set as the game moved into the final set. In a hard-fought and edge of the seat final set, Shelton held his nerve to win the tie-break 10-7 and seal one of the biggest victories of his career.
Meanwhile, the match ended at 3:33 AM local time, making it the latest finish in US Open history. It officially surpassed the previous tournament record of 2:50 AM set in 2022 by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Below is the complete breakdown of the match.
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Match Statistic
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Ben Shelton
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Carlos Alcaraz
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Aces
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7
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3
|
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Double Faults
|
2
|
7
|
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First Serve % In
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105/158 (66%)
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112/175 (64%)
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|
Win % on 1st Serve
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73/105 (70%)
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77/112 (69%)
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|
Win % on 2nd Serve
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30/53 (57%)
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32/63 (51%)
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Net Points Won
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29/41 (71%)
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27/35 (77%)
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|
Break Points Won
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5/16 (31%)
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3/11 (27%)
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Receiving Points Won
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66/175 (38%)
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55/158 (35%)
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Winners
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34
|
38
|
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Unforced Errors
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35
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53
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Total Points Won
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169
|
164
|
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Distance Covered
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13,391.7 ft
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12,499.8 ft
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Distance Covered / Pt.
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40.2 ft
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37.5 ft
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Ben Shelton is now set to face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi finals of the 2026 US Open. This win will definitely give Shelton a lot of confidence going into the rest of the tournament.
Ben Shelton vs Carlos Alcaraz: Head to Head Record
The head to head record between the two players currently stands at 3-1 after Shelton's recent win. Below is the complete breakdown of all meetings
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Year
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Winner
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Event
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Round
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Score
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2023
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Carlos Alcaraz
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ATP Masters 1000 Canada
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Round of 32
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6–3, 7–6(3)
|
|
2024
|
Carlos Alcaraz
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Laver Cup
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Round Robin
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6–4, 6–4
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2025
|
Carlos Alcaraz
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Roland Garros
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Round of 16
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7–6(8), 6–3, 4–6, 6–4
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|
2026
|
Ben Shelton
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US Open
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Quarter-Final
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6–7(5), 6–1, 6–3, 1–6, 7–6(10–7)
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This was the first time Ben Shelton has defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a tennis match. This win will definitely give Shelton a lot of confidence going into the rest of the tournament.