Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will face American eighth seed Ben Shelton in a highly anticipated US Open quarter-final after both players recorded impressive straight-sets victories in the fourth round.
Alcaraz continued his strong return from injury with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win over American Tommy Paul on Sunday, September 6, his most convincing performance of the tournament so far.
The world number two has reached the US Open quarter-finals for the third time since 2021 and is gaining momentum as he bids to defend his title.
His run is particularly impressive given the injury concerns that surrounded his return. Alcaraz missed almost five months of tennis with a wrist injury, sitting out both the French Open and Wimbledon. So far in New York, the 23-year-old has shown few signs of being affected, with his serve and forehand firing against Tommy Paul.
Ben Shelton, on the other hand, produced one of the strongest performances of the fourth round, beating former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 in just one hour and 51 minutes.
Shelton dominated with his serve and did not face a single break point, taking control from the opening set and maintaining his aggressive approach throughout.
The victory puts the 23-year-old into the US Open quarter-finals for the first time since 2023 and strengthens American hopes of ending a long wait for a home men’s singles champion.
Shelton’s 2026 season has been mixed. He reached the Australian Open quarter-finals but suffered early exits at other Grand Slam tournaments. His hard-court form, however, has improved, and when his serve and explosive forehand are working, he can trouble the best players in the world.
His win over Tsitsipas was arguably his most complete performance of the tournament, especially after needing four sets to win each of his opening three matches. However, he will need to raise his level again against Alcaraz.
The Spaniard leads their head-to-head 3-0, having beaten Shelton in Toronto in 2023, at the Laver Cup in 2024 and most recently at the 2025 French Open, where he won in four sets.
But Shelton has the weapons to make this meeting different. His left-handed serve can put Alcaraz under pressure immediately, while his aggressive returns and willingness to attack early could disrupt the Spaniard’s rhythm.
Alcaraz has more experience at this stage of a Grand Slam and a greater variety of shots. His ability to absorb pressure, change pace and turn defence into attack could be decisive against Shelton’s power game.
Fitness will also be a key storyline. Alcaraz’s wrist has held up through his first four matches, but Shelton’s powerful game will test the Spaniard’s ability to handle sustained pressure.
Shelton knows what awaits him, describing Alcaraz’s comeback from injury as remarkable and acknowledging the level required to beat the defending champion.
For Alcaraz, victory would take him one step closer to becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2008 to defend the US Open title successfully.
For Shelton, it is a chance to beat one of the world’s best players on the biggest stage and keep alive American hopes of ending a 23-year wait for a men’s singles champion in New York. No American man has won the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003. That makes this quarter-final one of the most intriguing matchups of the tournament.
