Four hours and 31 minutes, and a record nobody wanted
The clock read 3:33 a.m. in New York when Ben Shelton finally put away the defending champion. Carlos Alcaraz, the world No 3, went out of the US Open quarter-finals to the American No 9 seed: 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7).
It is now the latest finish in the tournament’s history. The old mark belonged to Alcaraz too, beaten by Jannik Sinner at 2:50 a.m. back in 2022. Evans against Khachanov in 2024 still holds the record for sheer length at 5h35, but nothing has ever dragged this deep into a New York night.
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Two Americans left, and neither of them slept much this week
Shelton gets Frances Tiafoe next, with a final on the line. Tiafoe had his own marathon, down two sets to Alex Michelsen before turning it around over 4h38.
No American man has won here since Andy Roddick in 2003. Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are through in the women’s draw as well, on a night where almost nothing finished quickly.
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