Ben Shelton advances to US Open semifinals after historic victory

Ben Shelton has advanced to the US Open semifinals following a historic, five-set quarterfinal victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. The match, which lasted four hours and 28 minutes, concluded at 3:33 AM, marking the latest finish in the tournament's history.

Shelton will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals. This all-American matchup guarantees a U.S. man in the final for the first time since 2024 and offers the possibility of the first American men's Grand Slam singles champion since 2003. The semifinal is also culturally significant as it marks the first time two Black American men will face each other in a US Open semifinal, occurring at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The extremely late match finishes have sparked criticism from tennis figures like Martina Navratilova and Marion Bartoli. Critics have called for scheduling reforms, suggesting that the current practice of stacking multiple high-stakes matches on the central court leads to unsustainable late-night conclusions that impact player health and spectator convenience.