Shelton Defeats Hurkacz in Four Sets to Reach US Open 3rd Round

Ben Shelton secured his spot in the US Open 3rd round with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 victory over Hubert Hurkacz.

American No. 8 seed Ben Shelton defeated Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on Wednesday to secure his place in the US Open 3rd round. The victory marks a turnaround for Shelton, who had failed to reach this stage in his previous two major tournaments. Simultaneously, No. 7 seed Daniil Medvedev advanced by defeating Sebastian Gorzny with a straight-set scoreline of 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.

Medvedev’s progression was briefly interrupted by a delay involving two birds sitting on the net. The incident led the Russian player to protest a chair umpire's decision to replay a specific point. Despite the disruption, the former champion completed his victory to join Shelton in the next phase of the tournament. These second-round matches took place while other competitors were still attempting to finish their opening-round contests due to significant weather interference.

Shelton’s Hard-Court Major Consistency

Shelton has now reached the third round at eight consecutive hard-court majors. His deepest run at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center occurred in 2023, when he successfully navigated the bracket to reach the semifinals. The Wednesday victory over Hurkacz ensures he remains in contention to replicate or exceed that career-best Grand Slam performance.

While Shelton and Medvedev moved forward, other seeded players struggled as the schedule remained congested. The tournament featured 25 men's singles matches on Wednesday alone as organizers attempted to rectify delays caused by Tuesday's rain. The shift to a Sunday start, implemented last year to spread the first round over three days, was intended to have all players in the second round by Wednesday, but inclement weather prevented that transition.

Upset Results and First-Round Completions

In a notable upset, American Alex Michelsen eliminated fellow countryman Brandon Nakashima. Michelsen ousted the No. 16 seed in straight sets, finishing the match 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. This result occurred as the tournament office worked to clear the backlog of matches that had been pushed from the previous day’s schedule.

Bu Yunchaokete of China delivered a dominant performance against No. 12 Rafael Jodar. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who entered the tournament following a strong summer season, was routed 6-2, 6-1, 6-1. This match was a delayed first-round encounter that was finally completed on Wednesday afternoon.

Weather Impacts and Night Session Outlook

Persistent weather issues forced some athletes to wait for clear skies to avoid resuming their matches on Thursday. The scheduling backlog left several players competing in their first match of the tournament while Shelton and Medvedev were already securing their spots in the US Open 3rd round.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz was scheduled to headline the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium. As the tournament progressed into the evening of September 2, 2026, officials continued to monitor conditions to ensure the remaining singles matches could be finalized without further postponements to the following day's calendar.