Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: After a thrilling fight, star tennis player Carlos Alcaraz lost to Ben Shelton in the US Open quarterfinals. Spectators sat in the gallery until late at night to watch this historic 4-hour and 28-minute battle to the death on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was not possible to start the match between Alcaraz and Shelton before 11 pm New York time. The fierce battle between American hero No. 8 seed Ben Shelton and Spanish megastar No. 2 seed Alcaraz lasted until 3:33 am.
Of course, the last laugh went to the home boy Shelton. He defeated Alcaraz 6-7(5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) as a result. Shelton's victory has confirmed the presence of an American tennis player in the US Open final. Ben Shelton's opponent in the semifinals is Francis Tiafoe. It has raised hopes of becoming the first American men's singles champion on the New York courts in 23 years.
Shelton's reaction after the victory, 'I felt like I won a big battle. A memorable match. I had to give my all to defeat Alcaraz on the court, physically and mentally. Alcaraz is one of the best players in the world of tennis. A true champion. Alcaraz took shots during the match that were beyond imagination. The most enjoyable fight and match of my tennis life. The biggest victory for Cori.'
Shelton had not won against the world's top three ranked players 17 times before. He had even lost his last three encounters against Alcaraz. World-renowned star Alcaraz was playing his first tournament on court after a long injury at the US Open against Ben Shelton. The seven-time major champion and two-time US Open champion, who has overcome a wrist injury, reached the last eight by defeating 20th seed Tommy Paul in a familiar rhythm on the court. But Alcaraz's fitness problems in front of Ben Shelton's Jose became the reason for his defeat.
However, Alcaraz did not collapse in disappointment after losing to Shelton. Instead, he said, "The victory was lost for a short time. The last set could have gone to anyone. But Shelton won in the end. I am proud of my game. I was able to leave the court with a smile on my face even though I lost." And Shelton thanked the American audience for disturbing his sleep and shouting for him until 3:30 in the morning. He hopes that he will receive this support from everyone in the semifinals as well. Although his opponent is another American.