It was an epic night for Ben Shelton at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The young American scored the biggest win of his career and advanced to the US Open 2026 semifinal round by upsetting the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in three sets of an epic struggle.
The home crowd erupted in celebration as 23-year-old American Ben Shelton defeated the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to earn his first ever trip to the US Open Semifinal. He took the contest in three sets, winning 7-6, 1-6, 6-3.
Match Summary — A Rollercoaster Three Sets
Set 1 — Shelton Survives a Tiebreak 7-6
We opened up the evening with an amazing first set of tennis that saw Shelton survive a tiebreak to take the first set 7-6. The first set saw both players trading holds of serve throughout. But in the end it was Shelton who raised his level of play in the tiebreak and found the winning combination to take the first set from the reigning champion.
Set 2 — Alcaraz Storms Back 6-1
He dominated the second set to take it 6-1. It was as if the champion was going to come back and take full control of the match.
Set 3 — Shelton Takes the Decisive Set 6-3
The third set saw Shelton return to his best form. Serving big, attacking on the baseline and moving well around the court, he dominated the Spanish champion to claim the set 6-3 and guarantee his first ever place in the US Open semi-finals.
Ben Shelton — The American Hero
Twenty-three-year-old Ben Shelton is in the best Grand Slam run of his tennis career. He is a powerful left-hander with a huge serve that is one of the fastest on tour. He also has incredible athleticism and his relationship with the fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium is unlike anything in American tennis right now.
Shelton is a two-time champion at the National Bank Open in Toronto in 2025 and 2026. Wednesday’s victory over Alcaraz — a seven-time Grand Slam champion — was the biggest win of his Grand Slam career to date and an impressive moment for American tennis as a whole.
Carlos Alcaraz — Champion’s Title Defense Ends
The 23-year-old from Spain is the defending champion after having won the title in 2025. He won his first US Open title in 2022 and came into tonight seeking his seventh Grand Slam title overall.
After claiming the Australian Open title in January, Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to a right wrist injury suffered in April. He returned to New York ranked No. 3 in the world on a season record of 26-3, and although he played some excellent tennis at this year’s US Open, tonight he was bested by the 23-year-old from Florida.
Head to Head — Shelton Now 2-1 vs Alcaraz
The most recent match between the two came on clay at Roland Garros on June 1, 2025, where Alcaraz defeated Shelton in four sets to take a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record. Tonight Shelton earned his second win in the rivalry — and his first on hardcourt.
Key Stats
| Stat | Shelton | Alcaraz |
|---|---|---|
| Sets won | 2 | 1 |
| Set 1 | 7-6 | — |
| Set 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Set 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Result | WINNER | Eliminated |
Where to Watch US Open 2026
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| ESPN | Main US broadcaster — all matches live |
| ESPN+ | Streaming — all courts |
| Fubo TV | Live stream — free trial available |
| DirecTV | Cable — ESPN channels |
| Apple TV | Some matches available |
| Tennis Channel | Select matches |
US Open 2026 Schedule — What Is Coming Next
Men’s Semifinals — Thursday September 11:
- Ben Shelton vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
Men’s Final — Sunday September 14:
- Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York
Women’s Semifinals — Thursday September 11:
- TBD
Women’s Final — Saturday September 13:
- Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York
The Bigger Picture — American Tennis Is Back
His big win over Alcaraz tonight is huge for American tennis. Twenty-three years have passed since Andy Roddick won the Men’s Singles title here at the US Open. Shelton’s improving game on hardcourt surfaces will get a lot of attention heading into 2027.
Ben Shelton is the best chance American tennis has had to win the US Open in years. With an elite serve, improving groundstrokes and a phenomenal connection with the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Shelton is consistently dangerous at the biggest tournaments in the world.
Tonight Ben Shelton took a huge step toward becoming the first American man to win the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Ben Shelton vs Carlos Alcaraz |
| Round | US Open 2026 Quarterfinal |
| Venue | Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows, New York |
| Date | Tuesday September 9, 2026 |
| Result | Shelton wins 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 |
| Shelton age | 23 |
| Alcaraz age | 23 |
| Shelton ranking | Top 10 ATP |
| Alcaraz ranking | No. 3 ATP |
| Next for Shelton | US Open Semifinal — Thursday September 11 |
| Alcaraz 2026 season | 26-3 before tonight |
| Alcaraz Grand Slams | 7 including 2025 US Open |
The Bottom Line
This is the night that Ben Shelton has been dreaming of. He beat the defending champion on tennis’ biggest stage, on home soil, with the full roar of Arthur Ashe Stadium behind him.
Alcaraz fought back brilliantly to win the second set but ultimately could not hold off the American. Shelton’s serve, athleticism and heart all performed in the tightest of situations.
It is now on to the US Open 2026 Semifinal for Ben Shelton. Can he become the first American man to win the tournament in over 20 years? Follow Newsreign for all the latest US Open 2026 coverage.
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Tags: Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, US Open 2026, Shelton vs Alcaraz, US Open quarterfinal, American tennis, Arthur Ashe Stadium, US Open results, tennis 2026
Inside the Match — The Moments That Defined It
The First Set Tiebreak — Where Belief Was Born
The first set tiebreak was where everything changed. It was only the second time Shelton and Alcaraz had played each other in a tiebreak — and Alcaraz had won the first. Tonight was different.
The crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium reached a volume that commentators described as the loudest they had ever experienced in that venue. Point after point, both players produced extraordinary athleticism — giving everything with each exchange.
Shelton produced a return that left commentators speechless — a late jump on a big Alcaraz serve that he somehow tracked down and returned with depth. The kind of shot, as one commentator put it, that nobody else makes.
Shelton won the tiebreak and the first set 7-6. For the first time in their rivalry he had won a tiebreak against the Spaniard — and that changed everything mentally for both players.
The moment the tiebreak ended, Brian, Shelton’s coach, was seen on court telling him to settle down and control the adrenaline. Three sets of work still remained. He could not spend everything in one moment.
The Shot at 142 MPH
Shelton’s serve reached 142 mph on occasion — a powerful weapon throughout the evening and one of the fastest serves on the entire ATP Tour. But pace alone does not win matches at this level, and his coaching team reminded him of that throughout the night.
Alcaraz’s Forehand — A Frozen Rope
As he found his rhythm in the second set, Alcaraz’s forehand was described by commentators as a frozen rope — a ball that traveled in a perfectly straight line with almost no deviation. It was that forehand that carried him through the second set 6-1 and leveled the match.
But Shelton had more to give. The third set proved it.
The Crowd — Arthur Ashe at Its Loudest
Several commentators and journalists at Arthur Ashe Stadium described the atmosphere during the first set tiebreak as the loudest they had ever experienced at the venue.
The New York crowd brought energy to every single point — boosting Shelton with every exchange, every big serve, every moment of drama. He fed off it when it mattered most. And in the end, he delivered.
This was more than a tennis match. It was an event.
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