Story perspectives

Ben Shelton stuns Alcaraz to reach US Open semifinals

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 2:54 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Shelton Upsets Alcaraz

Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 at the US Open.
The match finished at 3:33 a.m. on September 9, 2026, setting the latest US Open finish.
Shelton will face 11th-seed Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final, guaranteeing an American man in the final.
Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down to beat Alex Michelsen, reaching his third US Open semi-final.

Summary

Legends Debate

Andrew Abdo, incoming Tennis Australia CEO, suggested shortening matches and altering point scoring.
Novak Djokovic proposed keeping five sets but reducing games to fit a two-hour window.
John McEnroe warned that shorter formats could erode tennis’s distinctive long-form character.
Frances Tiafoe praised five-set classics, recalling Novak vs Rafa and Federer vs Rafa matches.
Andy Roddick said scheduling tweaks, not cutting match length, preserve tennis’s hardest-sport claim.

History

Historical Context

On 28 January 2012, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic faced No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open men’s final. The five-set battle lasted 5 hours 53 minutes, eclipsing the 1988 US Open final as the longest Grand Slam final ever, while Djokovic’s win gave him a second Australian Open crown and his third consecutive major, and Nadal became the first man to lose three straight majors in the Open Era.

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Shelton Upsets Alcaraz

Ben Shelton defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 at the US Open.
The match finished at 3:33 a.m. on September 9, 2026, setting the latest US Open finish.
Shelton will face 11th-seed Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final, guaranteeing an American man in the final.
Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down to beat Alex Michelsen, reaching his third US Open semi-final.

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