Ben Shelton Defeats Tsitsipas in 1:51 to Set US Open Clash With Carlos Alcaraz

Ben Shelton reached the US Open quarterfinals by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, losing only 14 points on serve.

Ben Shelton secured his return to the US Open quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 victory over two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday night. The 23-year-old American completed the clinical takedown in Arthur Ashe Stadium in exactly one hour and 51 minutes, losing only 14 points on his serve throughout the three-set match. This win follows a difficult opening week for Shelton, who dropped the first set of his first-round match and required four sets to win each of his three previous rounds. The victory was part of a successful day for American men, featuring No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe’s win over No. 7 seed Daniil Medvedev and Alex Michelsen’s victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Shelton now advances to a Tuesday night quarterfinal against reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard reached this stage by defeating Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, marking his sixth consecutive win over Paul in nine career meetings. Alcaraz broke Paul’s serve in the eighth game of the first set and added two early breaks in the second set to maintain control. Earlier in the tournament, Alcaraz opened his campaign with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win against Roman Safiullin, showing no signs of the wrist injury that had sidelined him since April.

Historical Matchups and Recent Form

Tuesday’s meeting will be a rematch of the 2025 French Open fourth round, where Alcaraz defeated Shelton 7-6 (8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. That contest lasted three hours and 19 minutes and saw Shelton fail to convert three set points in the opening tiebreak. Despite that loss, Shelton noted improvements in his game, specifically regarding his open-stance backhand and baseline shot tolerance. Following that defeat, Shelton reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals and won the 1000-level Canadian Open title in August 2025.

Shelton’s 2026 season has been marked by significant volatility. He reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, losing to Jannik Sinner, and secured three titles on three different surfaces: the Dallas Open (February), the BMW Open (April), and the Stuttgart Open (June). However, he suffered a second-round exit at Roland Garros and a first-round loss at Wimbledon. He recently regained momentum by defending his Canadian Open title in Montreal, defeating Brandon Nakashima in straight sets after overcoming rising stars Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik, and Learner Tien.

Preparation for the Quarterfinal

Following his Sunday night win, Shelton returned to the empty practice courts to refine his game before facing Alcaraz. He described the Spaniard’s recent form as "superhuman," noting that Alcaraz had not played a best-of-five set match since the Australian Open prior to this tournament. Shelton enters the match having never defeated Alcaraz in their previous encounters. Patrick McEnroe, an ESPN analyst, has publicly picked Shelton to win the tournament, citing his potential to end the long-standing major drought for American men.

Alcaraz admitted to a minor confusion regarding the draw, initially believing he would face the winner of the Tiafoe-Medvedev match. During a press conference, he acknowledged Shelton’s power and his ability to use the home crowd of over 20,000 fans to his advantage. The winner of this blockbuster matchup will face either Tiafoe or Michelsen in the semifinals, ensuring at least one American man reaches the final. Shelton previously reached the semifinals in New York in 2023 but saw his 2025 run ended by a shoulder injury that forced a retirement against Adrian Mannarino in the third round.