Ben Shelton defeated defending U.S. Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set match that concluded at 3:33 a.m. local time on Friday, marking the latest-ever finish in the tournament’s history, according to NBC News and CNN. The match lasted four hours and 28 minutes, with the final set tiebreaker deciding the outcome by a score of 10-7 in Shelton’s favor. Shelton, the No. 8 seed, advanced to the semifinals where he will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe, ensuring an American will be in Sunday’s final for the first time since 2003.

A Back-and-Forth Battle Under the Lights

Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, began the match strong, winning the first set via tiebreak — Shelton, however, responded with a 6-1 and 6-3 win in the second and third sets to take a two-set lead. Alcaraz fought back with a dominant fourth-set performance, winning 6-1 to force a final-set showdown.

The match took a dramatic turn in the final set, with both players trading points under intense pressure, and Shelton ultimately prevailed, aided by the home crowd’s support, which he credited as a key factor in his victory. He cited the energy from the crowd, including chants of “U-S-A,” as a driving force throughout the grueling match.

Historic Match and Fan Experience

The match was played under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium after a day of marathon contests at Flushing Meadows. Shelton sealed the victory with a 146-mph serve, calling it “incredible” and praising New York as “the greatest sports city in the world” and “the greatest stadium in the world.”

For Shelton, the win marked his first victory over a top-3 player in his career, a significant milestone, but Alcaraz, who missed most of the season with a wrist injury, saw his 18-match Grand Slam winning streak come to an end. At one point during the match, the Spaniard could be seen vomiting into a towel, according to NBC News.

Broader Implications for U.S. Men’s Tennis

Shelton’s win sets up a potential U.S. men’s final for the first time since Andy Roddick’s 2003 title, while If Shelton and Tiafoe both reach the final, it will mark a historic moment for American tennis. The U.S. men’s game has endured a long drought, with no Grand Slam titles since Roddick’s victory at the U.S. Open.

The tournament also saw record-breaking fan engagement, with the U.S — Open’s signature drink, the Honey Deuce, selling 740,000 units last year alone, generating around $17.2 million in sales, according to CNN. Fans expressed surprise that the popular drink had not increased in price despite its demand.