Ben Shelton already has the biggest win of his career.
Now he has a chance to do something American men’s tennis hasn’t seen in more than two decades.
Shelton stunned defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a four-hour, 28-minute thriller that finished at 3:33 a.m., winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7).
And just like that, Shelton is into the US Open semifinals.
But the Alcaraz victory may only be the beginning.
Shelton Just Took Down a Giant
Alcaraz came into the match with an incredible record against American men at Grand Slam tournaments.
He was 13-0 against U.S. players at the majors.
Shelton ended that streak.
The defending champion actually won the opening set and looked like he was ready to take control. Instead, Shelton completely flipped the match, taking the next two sets before Alcaraz fought back to force a deciding fifth.
Then came the chaos.
The fifth set went all the way to a 10-point tiebreak.
Shelton kept his nerve and closed it out 10-7.
His final shot?
A 146-mph ace that sent Alcaraz home.
He Also Ended Alcaraz’s Incredible Streak
This wasn’t just an upset.
Shelton snapped Alcaraz’s 18-match Grand Slam winning streak.
That’s the kind of victory that can completely change a player’s belief.
And Shelton didn’t just survive.
He showed that he could handle the pressure, the crowd and the moment against one of the biggest stars in the sport.
Now History Is Sitting Right There
Here’s where things get really interesting.
Shelton’s next opponent is fellow American Frances Tiafoe.
That means there is guaranteed to be an American man in the US Open final.
The United States is still waiting for its next men’s Grand Slam champion.
The last American man to win a major singles title was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open.
So Shelton is now just one victory away from reaching the US Open final.
And if he gets there, he’ll have a chance to end one of the longest droughts in American tennis.
But Tiafoe Has His Own Story
Shelton won’t have an easy path.
Tiafoe just produced a ridiculous comeback of his own.
He came back from two sets down against Alex Michelsen and even found himself two points away from defeat before winning the five-set battle.
Tiafoe is now reaching his third US Open semifinal in five years.
So this isn’t simply Shelton versus Tiafoe.
It’s two Americans fighting for a place in the biggest match of the tournament.
Shelton Has Never Been This Close
At just 23 years old, Shelton is already showing that he belongs on the biggest stage.
But beating Alcaraz changes the conversation.
He’s no longer simply the American with the huge serve and enormous potential.
He’s now a player who has proven he can beat a defending Grand Slam champion when everything is on the line.
And there’s another opportunity waiting.
One more win.
One more massive performance.
Then Ben Shelton could be playing for the US Open championship.
Could this be the year American men’s tennis finally ends its Grand Slam drought?
Shelton is certainly doing his part.
