New Delhi, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar praised the thrilling US Open quarter-final between Ben Shelton and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, describing the four-hour, 28-minute contest as “some tennis” after the American pulled off a stunning five-set upset.
Shelton defeated Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10/7) in a dramatic encounter that went down to a deciding-set tiebreaker.
“That was some tennis! Every time it looked like one of them had the match, the other fought his way back. And then it came down to the final few points,” Tendulkar posted on X.
“Well played, Ben Shelton! Tough luck, Carlos. Coming back after an injury makes this one even tougher,” he added.
The victory ended Alcaraz’s 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments and handed Shelton the biggest win of his career. The American sealed the contest with a 146-mph ace at 3:33 a.m. local time, making it the latest finish in US Open history.
The previous record also involved Alcaraz. Two years ago, the Spaniard saved a match point before defeating Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final that ended at 2:50 a.m.
Alcaraz was competing in his first tournament after a four-month injury layoff and had dropped only one set on his way to the quarter-finals. He was bidding to become the first man since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open title.
The Spaniard was also seeking his eighth Grand Slam title after becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam with his Australian Open triumph earlier this year.
Shelton, who recently won his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, has reached the US Open semi-finals for the first time since 2023. He will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the last four, with both players chasing their first Grand Slam final appearance.
Shelton leads Tiafoe 3-1 in their head-to-head record, with two of their four meetings coming at Flushing Meadows. Shelton won their 2023 quarter-final, while Tiafoe prevailed in their 2024 third-round clash.
With his victory over Alcaraz, Shelton has emerged as one of the biggest stories of this year’s US Open.
FOLLOW NOW
