Carlos Alcaraz had every reason to be heartbroken. Instead, he walked out of Arthur Ashe Stadium with a smile on his face. The defending US Open 2026 champion’s title defence came to a brutal end in the early hours of Wednesday morning as Ben Shelton edged him 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament.
The quarterfinal lasted four hours and 28 minutes, finally ending at around 3:33 a.m., making it the latest finish in US Open history.
And yet, there were no tears. No visible frustration. No head hanging as Alcaraz made his way out of the stadium. There was a smile.
Carlos Alcaraz leaving the U.S. Open with a smile on his face after losing a heartbreaker at 3:30 am.
You have to respect this guy. 💔 pic.twitter.com/26C7DO8cky
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 9, 2026
“As I said before the tournament began, my goal was to come here, compete, and play this kind of match, while staying healthy,” he told Alex Corretja after the match as quoted by Jose Moron and other users on X.
“I was close, very close. That’s why I won’t feel disappointed about not having won in the end. I’m simply happy and proud of myself, of how I fought throughout the entire match.”
Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton Share Warm Moment at the Net
The match itself had been an emotional rollercoaster. Alcaraz won a tense opening set in a tiebreak, only for Shelton to storm back and take the next two sets 6-1, 6-3. The American appeared to be closing in on the biggest win of his career before Alcaraz produced another trademark response, taking the fourth set 6-1 to force a deciding fifth.
The final set went all the way to a match tiebreak, with Shelton eventually prevailing 10-7.
Alcaraz had also appeared to struggle physically during the marathon, including being seen throwing up into his towel. Yet he continued fighting until the very last point.
“After the third set, I was really physically tired, but I found a way to push through and keep demanding more physically from myself to give a little extra,” he said.
“In the fifth set, I started to feel better and better, but I was playing against one of the… He’s a beast. Shelton is an incredible player, very powerful. He knew how to play really well in every situation, so he deserves all the credit.”
When it was finally over, there was no bitterness between the two. Shelton and Alcaraz shared a long, respectful hug at the net and exchanged a few words after the American completed the biggest win of his career.
THE MOMENT BEN SHELTON BEAT CARLOS ALCARAZ IN THE LATEST FINISHING MATCH IN US OPEN HISTORY.
3:33 in the morning.
But when you play the sport like that, you lose all sense of time.
Ben brought back his phone celebration 📞
It’s Big Ben time. 🇺🇸🥹 pic.twitter.com/GDjTROpH5f
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 9, 2026
For Alcaraz, the defeat ended his hopes of defending the US Open title and snapped an 18-match Grand Slam winning streak.
He had returned to competitive tennis after nearly five months away because of a wrist issue. His US Open campaign ultimately ended four rounds later than it began, in a match that stretched deep into the New York night.
