Ben Shelton def. Carlos Alcaraz 6(5)-7(7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7(10)-6(7) — US Open 2026 Quarterfinal

Match recap

Ben Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz 6(5)-7(7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7(10)-6(7) in the Quarterfinal of the US Open 2026.

The error column separated them. Alcaraz piled up 53 unforced errors to Shelton's 35, 17 of them in a second set where the defending champion's first-serve points won fell to 46 percent and the eighth seed broke in game 3 for 2-1 and game 5 for 4-1. The fifth produced no breaks at all. Alcaraz, who out-hit him 38 winners to 34 and still lost the points count 168-164, saved a match point in the deciding tiebreak before Shelton closed it after four hours and 28 minutes. That is his first win over Alcaraz on record and the highest-ranked of his career, a rung above his wins over No. 4-ranked Sinner and Fritz; the US Open defense is finished.

Match stats

Ben Shelton: 7 aces, 34 winners, 66% first serves, 2 double faults, 5/16 break points. Carlos Alcaraz: 3 aces, 38 winners, 64% first serves, 7 double faults, 3/11 break points.

Profiles: Ben Shelton · Carlos Alcaraz — US Open 2026

Head-to-head

Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz have met 3 times, with Carlos Alcaraz leading the head-to-head 2–1.

• French Open 2025 R16 — Carlos Alcaraz won 7(10)-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
• Canadian Open 2023 R32 — Carlos Alcaraz won 6-3, 7(7)-6(3)

Full Ben Shelton vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head →