Carlos Alcaraz has been knocked out of the U.S. Open quarterfinal by American Ben Shelton, who also set the record for the latest finish ever at Flushing Meadows. Shelton closed the match at 3:34 a.m. ET on Wednesday, September 9, in a five-set thriller against Alcaraz, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10/7).

The buzzing Shelton, taking complete advantage of the home crowd, dashed all hopes of the reigning champion lifting the title again. The match lasted about four hours and 28 minutes, surpassing the previous record for the latest finish at the U.S. Open, set in 2022, when Alcaraz won a five-set epic quarterfinal that ended at 2:50 a.m.

In an on-court interview, Shelton described the match as a "war, epic match," adding, "Carlos is one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old." Shelton, who played in the U.S. Open semis in 2024, now faces world No. 17 Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals.

Alcaraz, who had shown tremendous strength in his last four matches, found Tuesday's quarterfinal to be a challenge he couldn't overcome. Shelton noted that once he found his rhythm in the second set, it became much easier to play and swing more freely.