Ben Shelton’s US Open run took a major turn as he finally solved Carlos Alcaraz in their quarterfinal meeting in New York. Coming in, Shelton had lost all three of their previous matches and had managed just one set against the Spaniard. This time, he changed that pattern in emphatic fashion, winning in five sets to book a semifinal against compatriot Frances Tiafoe.

The result gives Shelton a real opening at a Slam he has looked increasingly dangerous in throughout the tournament. With Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and now Alcaraz all eliminated, the draw has opened in a way Shelton could hardly have imagined before the event began. He has been one of the standout performers at Flushing Meadows this year, and the opportunity now in front of him is the clearest he has had at Grand Slam level.

Rennae Stubbs was quick to highlight what she saw as a key difference in Shelton’s approach against Alcaraz. Writing on X, the Australian Grand Slam champion said: “The look in Ben’s face in the match was different. It was a look of complete focus, almost like he knew he couldnt get to excited when he was winning or had won points.

“We are so used to his excitement all the time, it was different last night,” she continued. “Destiny? Maybe…but what a match.”

Her only concern now is how Shelton will recover physically, after not leaving the court until close to 4am. “Finishing at 3:30am is bonkers and I hope like hell Ben can recover,” said Stubbs, while also defending the scheduling. “The question is, on this one, how could it have avoided? Every match went the distance! Sadly this is tennis for you. It was arguably the greatest match day in tennis history & to the crowd that stayed until 3:30am, bravo!”

Shelton’s semifinal against Tiafoe is set for Friday, 11th September, giving him an extra day to recover. He will also have an eye on Wednesday’s quarterfinals, where Alexander Zverev faces Botic van de Zandschulp and Karen Khachanov meets Alexander Blockx. Shelton and Zverev remain the top seeds left, but this tournament has already shown how quickly the picture can change.

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.