No. 8 seed Ben Shelton outshone Stefanos Tsitsipas under the U.S. Open spotlight on Sunday, sealing a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 victory to reach the quarterfinals and boost home hopes of a first American men’s Grand Slam champion in more than two decades. Shelton next faces Carlos Alcaraz and the 23-year-old showed he has the tools to trouble the Spaniard, though he said that it would take special tennis to beat the defending champion, who has hit top form after an injury layoff.
It was my first straightforward match this year, and I’m happy I can play this way in front of you. I finally found my groove and was in a flow state. Playing on the greatest court in the world is an unbelievable feeling.” Playing in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2024, Tsitsipas made a better start to the second set but soon found himself trailing 2-5 and required a medical timeout for an unspecified issue.
With a two-set cushion, Shelton sprinkled some showmanship into the clash in the next with a soaring overhead smash before racing away and completing an emphatic win with a comfortable hold of serve. With the focus now shifting to Alcaraz, Shelton will look to draw from a training encounter with the Spaniard. I’m excited for the battle.
Never played him here in New York, and obviously in the position that I want to be in.”
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