Sachin Tendulkar praises Ben Shelton after US Open quarter-final win

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar commended Ben Shelton following the American’s dramatic victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open quarter-finals. Shelton defeated Alcaraz in a five-set match, winning 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10/7) to advance to the semi-finals.

Tendulkar, commenting on the encounter, noted the resilience displayed by both players. “That was some tennis! Every time it looked like one of them had the match, the other fought his way back. And then it came down to the final few points. Well played, Ben Shelton! Tough luck, Carlos. Coming back after an injury makes this one even tougher,” Tendulkar wrote on X.

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The match, lasting four hours and 28 minutes, set a new record as the latest finishing in US Open history, surpassing the previous record from 2024 when Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a five-set quarter-final. Unlike that occasion, Alcaraz was unable to secure a late victory as Shelton maintained composure in the deciding match tie-break.

The 23-year-old Shelton has been in strong form during the North American hard-court season, improving to a 13-2 record over this period. He also secured his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal and reached the US Open semi-finals for the first time since 2023.

Alcaraz was returning from a four-month injury absence and had dropped only one set en route to the quarter-finals before his title defence was ended by Shelton.

Shelton, whose overall 2026 season record is 38-13, will face 11th seed Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals. Both players are aiming for their first appearance in a Grand Slam final. Shelton currently leads Tiafoe 3-1 in their head-to-head meetings and has won their only previous US Open quarter-final encounter in 2023, while Tiafoe won their 2024 third-round match.

Alcaraz’s defeat concluded his pursuit of an eighth Grand Slam title and the chance to become the first man since Roger Federer to successfully defend the US Open title. Prior to the tournament, Alcaraz had an 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam events, including his 2025 US Open and 2026 Australian Open victories. His Australian Open title also made him the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam.

Shelton’s victory ensures an all-American semi-final against Tiafoe, with the 23-year-old American aiming to extend his exceptional run on hard courts and reach his first major final.