Eighth-seeded American Ben Shelton knocked out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a four-and-a-half-hour quarterfinal thriller at the U.S. Open on Aug. 9.
A 146-mph ace sealed the 6(5)–7, 6–1, 6–3, 1–6, 7–6 (7) match that ended at 3:33 a.m.—the latest match in tournament history.
“I’m tired. It was a war,” Shelton said after the match. “Carlos is one of the greatest champions of our sport. It was the most enjoyable match I’ve had in my career, for sure.”
The match featured incredible shotmaking and highlights and is the 23-year-old’s biggest career win.
Shelton entered the quarterfinal having lost all three of his previous matches against Alcaraz, whose 18-match win streak at the Grand Slams was broken….