After an incredible day in the U.S. Open quarterfinals, a former Florida Gator star has a chance to do something major.
It was 3:33 a.m. ET Wednesday, the latest any match has finished at the tournament, and Arthur Ashe Stadium was still filled when Ben Shelton, the former NCAA tennis singles champion at UF, defeated reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7).
The match lasted four hours and 28 minutes, the second match of the day Tuesday that went more than four hours. And Shelton was finally able to get over the hurdle of Alcaraz, beating the Spaniard for the first time in his career.
“Sharing the court with Carlos [Alcaraz] is an absolute honor, and I cherish every moment I have out here,” Shelton said.
Shelton changed his approach to this match, going from his usual aggressive style of tennis to a more disciplined gameplan.
He had to serve big and serve consistently. He made 66% of his first serves and topped out at 149 mph. He also won 70% of the points he made on his first serve, and won 57% of his second serve points, which were both better than Alcaraz for the match.
He had 34 winners to 35 unforced errors, which is the type of ratio needed to defeat a player like Alcaraz. He also had seven aces to two double faults, which is also a perfect ratio to have.
Even so late into the night, the home crowd was cheering on Shelton, and he fed off that energy.
“For me, it’s always about the people in the crowd,” he said. “The city of New York, they showed up tonight until 3 a.m. with the USA chants until the very end.
“That’s what kept me going and that’s what got me this win tonight.”
Shelton, 23, is looking to become the first American man to win a major tournament since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003. He is into the third major semifinal of his career, second in New York, and he is one win away from reaching his first major final.
For Alcaraz, it breaks several streaks he had entering the match. He had won 18 consecutive major matches, he was 13-0 in his career in majors against Americans and 14-0 against lefties in majors. It is also just his second five-set loss in his career in 17 tries, with the other being to Matteo Berrettini at the Australian Open in 2022.
He had 38 winners to 53 unforced errors, and could not find consistency on his forehand until late in the match. Still, it is important to note this is the first tournament he has played in since April due to a wrist injury that took him out.
“He is a beast,” Alcaraz said after the match. “Shelton is an unbelievable player, powerful. He just manages to play really, really well in every situation. So credit to him.”
The match had several swings in momentum throughout, however Shelton was able to pull it out when it mattered in the match tiebreak. He will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinal Friday for a spot in the final. He is 3-1 against Tiafoe in his career.
