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Ben Shelton dismantled Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the second time.
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The American produced his best performance of the tournament, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 without facing a break point.
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His reward is a blockbuster meeting with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has yet to lose to Shelton.
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Shelton will be looking to overturn a 0-3 career record against Alcaraz and keep alive America’s hopes of ending its long Grand Slam drought.
September 07, (THEWILL) — Ben Shelton finally delivered the kind of performance that makes him look like a genuine US Open contender. Unfortunately for the American, his reward for reaching the quarter-finals is perhaps the toughest opponent left in the draw.
Shelton powered past Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday to book his place in the last eight.
Waiting for him is defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The Spaniard has looked increasingly dangerous with every match since returning from a four-month injury layoff, setting up a quarter-final that could test just how far Shelton has come.
Ben Shelton está haciendo lo que quiere con Stefanos Tsitsipas. pic.twitter.com/lEOyL60Hld https://t.co/KKPD3jz6hP
— Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) September 6, 2026
Shelton Produces His Best Tennis at the Right Time
After needing four sets in each of his previous three matches, Shelton produced his first straight-sets victory of the tournament when it mattered most.
The eighth seed dominated Tsitsipas from the start, combining his powerful serve with aggressive baseline hitting to leave the former world No. 3 with few answers.
Shelton fired 11 aces, won 83% of his first-serve points and, most impressively, did not face a single break point throughout the match.
It was a performance that showed why Shelton is considered one of the leading hopes of American men’s tennis.
More importantly, it marked his second US Open quarter-final, three years after his breakthrough run to the semi-finals in New York.
But Alcaraz Is Waiting
Shelton’s impressive victory immediately set up the bigger story.
His next opponent will be Alcaraz, the defending champion and one of the tournament’s biggest favourites.
The Spaniard had earlier dispatched Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals, extending his Grand Slam winning streak to 18 matches. He has also dropped just one set during his run in New York.
That makes Shelton’s task considerably more difficult.
Alcaraz arrived at Flushing Meadows with questions surrounding his fitness after missing more than four months with a right wrist injury. Those doubts, however, have quickly disappeared.
Instead, the 23-year-old has looked increasingly like the player who won the tournament last year.
Shelton Has Never Beaten Alcaraz
There is another problem for the American.
Shelton has faced Alcaraz three times and lost on every occasion.
Their most recent meeting came at the 2025 French Open, where Alcaraz defeated Shelton in four sets after a tightly contested opening set. The Spaniard also won their previous meetings at the 2024 Laver Cup and the 2023 Canadian Open.
Shelton, however, believes he is a considerably better player than he was during those encounters.
“I think I’m serving better, returning much better,” Shelton said after his fourth-round victory, pointing to improvements in his baseline game, movement and overall shot tolerance.
That belief will be crucial when he walks onto Arthur Ashe Stadium again.
‘It’s Going to Be Fireworks’
Shelton is under no illusion about what awaits him.
Asked what it will take to defeat Alcaraz, he offered a simple answer: “Special tennis.”
He also praised the Spaniard’s level since returning from injury and expects the quarter-final to be an explosive contest.
“I think it’s going to be fireworks on Tuesday night”, Shelton stated.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, already knows what Shelton can bring, particularly with the American playing in front of a home crowd.
The defending champion described Shelton as a “really powerful player” and acknowledged the energy he draws from the New York crowd.
More Than Just a Quarter-Final
For Shelton, this is about more than simply reaching another Grand Slam quarter-final.
The American has spent much of the season searching for consistency after describing his campaign as a roller coaster. Yet his run to the Canadian Open title in August restored some of the confidence that had appeared to be missing earlier in the year.
Now he has another opportunity to prove that his best tennis belongs on the biggest stages.
America has not had a men’s singles Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003, and Shelton is among the players carrying the country’s hopes of finally ending that drought.
But before he can dream about another deep run in New York, he must solve a problem he has never solved before.
He has beaten one major name to reach the quarter-finals.
Now he has to beat Alcaraz.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
