Shelton secures victory in five-set thriller
Ben Shelton achieved a significant career milestone by defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarter-final match at the US Open. The contest extended deep into the New York night, concluding at 3:33 am, marking it as the latest finish in the tournament’s history. Shelton’s victory, with a final score of 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7), lasted four hours and 28 minutes.
The match took place at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Shelton’s performance was met with strong support from the crowd. This win represents Shelton’s first career triumph against a top-three ranked player, a category in which he had previously held an 0-17 record. The American player will now advance to an all-American semi-final against Frances Tiafoe.
Match details and key moments
The quarter-final was a physically demanding encounter for both players. Shelton described the match as a “war” and an “epic,” highlighting the intensity and competitive level. Despite losing the opening set in a tie-break, Shelton found belief after breaking Alcaraz’s serve to force the tie-break, noting that his serve would improve and his return game was effective.
Shelton subsequently dominated the second and third sets, breaking Alcaraz three times in the second set. This allowed him to “play and swing more freely.” His strategy focused on patience during returns, forcing Alcaraz to play, and capitalising on missed spots, rather than being discouraged by aces and service winners. He also aimed to maintain strong baseline play to avoid losing points in rallies.
Alcaraz mounted a comeback in the fourth set, but Shelton’s serve proved crucial in the decider. He won 70% of his first-serve points and 57% behind his second serve, with 54 of his 156 serves going unreturned. Notably, Shelton did not surrender his serve in the fifth set, even after Alcaraz had broken him three times in the fourth.
The statistical differences in errors also played a role. Alcaraz recorded 38 winners to Shelton’s 34, but also committed 53 unforced errors compared to Shelton’s 35. Shelton was particularly effective in shorter rallies, winning 55% of exchanges lasting four shots or fewer, while Alcaraz had an edge in longer rallies.
Alcaraz’s resilience and upcoming semi-final
Alcaraz, a seven-time major champion, was playing in his first tournament since April, having been sidelined for over four months due to a wrist injury. Despite feeling physically tired after the third set, he found a way to push himself, stating he was “happy” and “proud” of his fight. He acknowledged Shelton as an “unbelievable player” with significant power.
The match’s late finish surpassed the previous record for the latest conclusion at the US Open, which was 2:50 am, set by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in their 2022 quarter-final. Alcaraz had won that match 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 after five hours and 15 minutes.
Shelton’s victory guarantees American representation in the men’s final. He will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. Tiafoe secured his spot by overcoming Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match, winning 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6). Tiafoe’s win marked his third appearance in a US Open semi-final, joining Andre Agassi as the only American men to achieve this feat in the current century. The semi-final between Shelton and Tiafoe is scheduled for Friday.
Source: bbc.com