Los Angeles

BenShelton beat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in the early hours of Wednesday to reach the U.S. Open semi-finals in the latest-finishing match in tournament history.

Shelton’s win sets up a match in the last four with compatriot Frances Tiafoe, boosting home hopes of a first American men’s Grand Slam champion since 2003. Seven-times major champion Alcaraz arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 13-0 Grand Slam record against U.S. men but found Shelton tough to break down in a match that began at 11.05 p.m. on Tuesday and finished at 3.33 a.m. on Wednesday.

“For me it’s always about the people in the crowd,” Shelton said in explaining how he got through the gruelling contest.

“Whether it’s my coaches and my team there, all my family and friends here, or the city of New York that showed up tonight till 3 a.m. with the USA chants until the very end.

“That’s what kept me going, and that’s what got me this win tonight. “It’s incredible. I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world. I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world.”

Alcaraz clinched a tight first-set tiebreak and looked to have all the momentum but uncharacteristic sloppiness allowed Shelton to breeze through the next set before the American tightened his grip on the quarter-final by taking the third.