Ben Shelton Took Down Carlos Alcaraz In The Match Of His Life

Key Points:

• Ben Shelton, a 23-year-old American tennis player, defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a grueling U.S. Open quarterfinal that ended at 3:33 a.m., winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) to advance to his second Open semifinal.
• Shelton's key strength is his powerful and varied serve, reaching speeds up to 149 mph, which has helped him hold serve 90.4% of the time over the past year, second only to Jannik Sinner.
• Despite having the worst return game among top-50 players, Shelton improved enough in this match to challenge Alcaraz, particularly by winning longer rallies and delivering some of the best backhands of his career.
• Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury, showed signs of rust with baseline errors and double faults, which Shelton capitalized on, especially in the second and third sets, allowing Shelton to take control.
• Shelton's physical endurance and ability to perform under pressure in a marathon match were crucial to his victory, surprising many who doubted his ability to overcome Alcaraz's superior forehand and overall game.