Ben Shelton outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic US Open quarter-final that stretched deep into the early morning in New York. The match unfolded on Arthur Ashe Stadium and needed five sets before the American finally closed it out, securing one of the biggest wins of his career.

It was a contest that rarely looked settled, with both players finding spells of control before the balance shifted again. In the end, Shelton had enough firepower to move through to the US Open semi-finals for only the second time in his career, while Alcaraz fell short of defending his title.

Even with the defeat, Alcaraz leaves Flushing Meadows with positives. He arrived at the tournament carrying injury concerns, yet still produced a strong run. His mood after the loss reflected that view, and he spoke openly about wanting to turn the page and get back to work.

Speaking to Alex Corretja on Spanish television, Alcaraz said: “We’re leaving very happy; we’ve walked off the court smiling. It’s not pleasant to lose, but you have to see the positive side of matches like these.

“In the end, you play for matches like this one. I’m eager to get back home, to train, to compete, and in the end, this is what we’ve been missing, and getting back home healthy is the most important thing.”

Alcaraz’s next event is already set, and it will bring him back into contact with Shelton. He is confirmed for Team Europe at the Laver Cup, which will be staged at The O2 Arena in London from September 25 to 27.

That event will be Alcaraz’s first in the UK this year after wrist problems forced him out of Queen’s and Wimbledon. It will also mark his third Laver Cup appearance, with a 6-2 record in singles and doubles and 15 points earned for Team Europe from his previous two outings.

The Australian Open has spent recent years embracing change, and its crowds have continued to rise year after year.

One of the clearest examples came in Melbourne this season with the introduction of the One Point Slam, a one-point contest that matched professional players with amateurs and became one of the tournament’s most discussed features. The event also welcomed Roger Federer back to the venue for the first time since retirement and staged a number of exhibition matches. Even so, further alterations could still be on the horizon for 2027.

New Tennis Australia chief executive Andrew Abdo, who has replaced Craig Tiley, has floated the possibility of significant changes to the scoring structure at the Melbourne event.

“Maybe in the future, Slams at the different rounds, or at different lengths of duration, maybe we’re not playing best-of-five all the way through, maybe the point scoring system changes,” said Abdo.

That suggestion has already drawn criticism from fans on social media, many of whom remain strongly attached to the sport’s traditions.

The debate is not new. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both defended best-of-five-set matches at the majors, with Nadal saying in 2020: “I mean, winning Grand Slam, playing best-of-three demand to the player something else, no? Stronger mentally, stronger physically, be solid for such a long time and for such a long two weeks. So I really believe that’s the right thing to do.”

Federer was equally firm. “It won’t happen, the best of three stuff,” said the Swiss icon. “The tradition of tennis is having best-of-five at the majors and that will remain. Those who want best-of-three don’t really have the best interests of tennis at heart.”

There has also been support for change from other leading players. Novak Djokovic said in 2020: “I am more of a proponent of best-of-three sets everywhere. You asked me why. I just feel that we have enough tournaments, enough matches during the year.

“We have the longest season of all sports, any sport in the world. Tennis has the longest season from January 1 to end of November. Literally every single week you have tournament somewhere.”

If such a shift does arrive in 2027, Djokovic could be one of the main beneficiaries. He has already been pushed through several five-set Grand Slam matches this year, including against Joao Fonseca and Felix Auger-Aliassime, and those contests have left the 24-time Grand Slam champion heavily drained.

When Carlos Alcaraz hurt his wrist at the Barcelona Open in April, the reaction was immediate concern. Wrist problems have already altered the careers of some of the game’s most gifted players, including Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin del Potro.

Both men reached the top of the sport and both won Grand Slam titles, yet injuries left their careers with lingering what-ifs. Thiem’s own turning point came at the Mallorca Open in 2021, less than a year after he lifted his first and only Grand Slam trophy at the US Open in 2020. After that, he was never truly able to rejoin the ATP Tour’s top tier. Del Potro’s path was similarly affected by chronic issues in both wrists, which repeatedly interrupted a career of huge promise.

Now Thiem has offered his view on Alcaraz’s recovery and the way the Spaniard has returned to a high level at this year’s US Open. In an interview with El Mundo, the Austrian said: “I expected him to really take his time, to manage the injury well, and I think he has done it.

“With an injury, you need a lot of patience. I didn’t return to playing very soon, but I did go back to training. Everything Carlos did right, I did wrong.”

So far, Alcaraz has done little to suggest the wrist has significantly changed his game, apart from a serve that looks a bit less powerful than before the injury. He has moved into the US Open quarter finals with wins over Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, Wu Yibing, and Tommy Paul.

He has conceded only one set in four matches, an impressive return given that he had not played a singles match for four and a half months.

Next comes his toughest assignment yet. Alcaraz will face Ben Shelton for a place in the semi finals, and Shelton’s strong form at Flushing Meadows should provide a serious examination of the Spaniard’s wrist and match sharpness. Even so, Alcaraz has already beaten the American three times, including their only Grand Slam meeting at Roland Garros in 2025, plus meetings at the Laver Cup and the Canadian Open.