Arthur Ashe Stadium has witnessed countless iconic late-night epics, but what unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday morning redefined tennis endurance. At 3:33 a.m. local time , that's right, 3:33 a.m., not p.m. - after 4 hours and 28 minutes of relentless, high-octane tennis, Ben Shelton closed out the defining win of his career, dethroning defending champion and seven-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz: 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) Finishing as the latest-ever match in US Open history, Shelton capped off the marathon fifth-set super-tiebreaker by rocketing a signature 146-mph ace past Alcaraz. With that single swing, the 23-year-old American snapped Alcaraz’s 18-match major winning streak, secured his first-ever triumph over a top-3 opponent, and sent the Flushing Meadows draw into absolute frenzy. The Breakdown: How Shelton Pulled Off the Upset Due to multiple prior five-setters on Ashe—including Frances Tiafoe’s thrilling comeback over Alex Michelsen—...
Ben Shelton Dethrones Carlos Alcaraz in Record US Open Classic — Semifinal Preview vs. Frances Tiafoe
Arthur Ashe Stadium has witnessed countless iconic late-night epics, but what unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday morning redefined tennis endurance. At 3:33 a.m. local time , that's right, 3:33 a.m., not p.m. - after 4 hours and 28 minutes of relentless, high-octane tennis, Ben Shelton closed out the defining win of his career, dethroning defending champion and seven-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz: 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) Finishing as the latest-ever match in US Open history, Shelton capped off the marathon fifth-set super-tiebreaker by rocketing a signature 146-mph ace past Alcaraz. With that single swing, the 23-year-old American snapped Alcaraz’s 18-match major winning streak, secured his first-ever triumph over a top-3 opponent, and sent the Flushing Meadows draw into absolute frenzy. The Breakdown: How Shelton Pulled Off the Upset Due to multiple prior five-setters on Ashe—including Frances Tiafoe’s thrilling comeback over Alex Michelsen—...