US Open 2026: Reasons behind Carlos Alcaraz's defeat to Ben Shelton

Carlos Alcaraz was unable to defend his US Open title

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open title defence came to an end in the most dramatic way possible, with Ben Shelton of the USA beating him 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in a quarter-final that became the latest-ending match in tournament history.

Shelton finished it with a 146 mph serve out wide, securing his first-ever win over a top-five seed at a Grand Slam and setting up an all-American semi-final match against Frances Tiafoe.

This result ended Alcaraz’s 18‑match winning streak at a Grand Slam. Shelton snapped Alcaraz’s streaks of 13 straight wins against American players and 14 straight wins against left-handers. It was the first time that the Spaniard had been eliminated in the quarter‑finals at a major since the 2025 Australian Open.

Wrist injury not completely healed

After missing four months of action due to the wrist injury he suffered in Barcelona, Alcaraz’s comeback had looked close to flawless in his first four matches, where he dropped only one set. In his quarter-final, he didn’t call for a medical timeout, but his uncharacteristic errors off the forehand hinted his wrist injury was flaring up again.

Related: Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton marathon match sets new record in US Open history

It is a fair theory given that this was his first best-of-five test since the tenosynovitis diagnosis in April, and facing a return as heavy as Shelton’s was always going to be the sternest stress test his wrist could face.

Lack of venom on serve

Alcaraz has openly admitted his serve is still a work in progress this tournament, telling reporters after beating Tommy Paul that it’s an area he wants to sharpen. Against Shelton’s own weapon, which produced a string of 140-plus mph serves, including the match-ending one, the Spaniard didn’t have the free points to match him when the rallies got tight.

Failure in drop shot execution

It is normally one of Alcaraz’s signature tools, used to shorten points and pull bigger, faster opponents out of position. But Shelton’s court coverage neutralised most of the ones he tried, closing the distance so quickly that several drop shots either got run down or ended up in the net, a rare off night for a shot that is usually a massive weapon in his arsenal.

Physically exhausted after third set

After the third set, Alcaraz was visibly struggling, and at one point, he vomited into his towel. He kept playing anyway, and the part of the match he seemed proudest of afterwards was admitting he was “really tired” physically, but that he found a way to keep pushing himself until the very end.

Related: Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from player-led prize money protest; here’s why

Too many unforced errors

The final numbers told the story as Alcaraz finished with 38 winners but 53 unforced errors, while Shelton matched his 34 winners with only 34 unforced errors.

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