The pair exchanged blows but ultimately could not be separated until the final set tiebreaker, in which Shelton won 10-7. The epic now stands as the last finish in the history of a tournament increasingly known for its nightly duels. That honor had previously been held by another Alcaraz match, against his rival at the top of the sport Jannik Sinner, which ended at 2:50 a.m. in the 2022 quarterfinals. That victory helped Alcaraz, then 19 years old, on the path to his first US Open title. He will now set his sights on regaining the form that made him the leader of the sport. Three of Tuesday’s four singles quarterfinal matches were contested in tiebreakers, the day beginning with Aryna Sabalenka edging out Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova to keep her hopes of a third straight U.S. title alive. comebacks to prepare for the semifinal with Shelton. Thousands of fans stayed until the gripping finale, with Shelton and popular showman Alcaraz enjoying huge support at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It’s amazing,” Shelton said. “I always say this is the biggest sports city in the world, I say this is the biggest stadium in the world. I just hope my best friend and my sister don’t have to be at work at 6am in three hours.”
