Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is out of the US Open 2026 after American eighth seed Ben Shelton pulled off a stunning quarterfinal upset in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches.
Shelton defeated the world No. 2 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) after a marathon battle lasting 4 hours and 28 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The match finished at around 3:33 a.m. local time, making it the latest-finishing match in US Open history.
Alcaraz looked in control early, taking a tightly contested opening-set tiebreak. But Shelton responded emphatically, winning the second and third sets to put the defending champion under serious pressure.
Alcaraz fought back to take the fourth set and force a deciding fifth-set tiebreak. But Shelton held his nerve when it mattered most, winning the match tiebreak 10-7.
The American's powerful serve and aggressive baseline play proved crucial during the deciding stages of the contest.
The Spaniard also appeared to struggle physically during the marathon encounter. He was seen vomiting into a towel during a break, while reports also noted concerns around his wrist.
Despite those difficulties, Alcaraz managed to fight his way into the fifth set before Shelton finally ended his title defence.
The defeat ends Alcaraz's 18-match Grand Slam winning streak and brings his bid for back-to-back US Open titles to an abrupt end.
The victory is arguably the biggest of Shelton's career and sends him into the US Open semifinals, where he will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe.
The all-American semifinal also gives home fans a major reason to dream of an American men's Grand Slam champion. The United States has not had a men's singles Grand Slam winner since Andy Roddick's 2003 US Open triumph.
For Shelton, however, the focus is now simple: one more win to reach his first US Open final.
And for Alcaraz, a dramatic title defence has ended in the early hours of New York — after one of the wildest five-set battles of the tournament.