US Open: Shelton books QF date with Alcaraz after brushing past Tsitsipas

New York: Ben Shelton’s US Open campaign has gathered serious momentum at precisely the right time as the American eighth seed powered into the quarter-finals, brushing aside Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a high-profile meeting with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Shelton’s route to the last eight has been anything but straightforward. He was pushed to four sets in each of his opening three matches against Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz and Denis Shapovalov. Against Tsitsipas, however, the 23-year-old produced a far more authoritative display inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, completing the victory in just one hour and 51 minutes.

The result marks Shelton’s sixth appearance in a Grand Slam quarter-final and his second at Flushing Meadows. His previous US Open breakthrough came in 2023, when he reached the semi-finals during only his second appearance at the tournament.

His recent record also underlines the level at which he is competing. Shelton is now 12-2 since the North American hard-court swing began after Wimbledon, with his run highlighted by a second ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal. His latest victory also extended a remarkable sequence, with Shelton defeating three successive opponents who had previously ranked inside the ATP Top 10.

Tsitsipas, meanwhile, arrived with confidence after making his way through a tricky section of the draw. The Greek had beaten Cincinnati champion Arthur Fils before adding victories over Lloyd Harris and 18th seed Jiri Lehecka. Those results, though, failed to translate into the same authority against Shelton.

The American established control early and never allowed Tsitsipas to settle into his rhythm. The 28-year-old briefly received attention from tournament medical staff while trailing 2-6, 2-5, and struggled to change the direction of the contest thereafter.

Shelton tightened his grip in the third set, breaking when Tsitsipas sent a backhand into the net at 1-1. From there, the American kept the pressure on and closed out the match without allowing his opponent an opportunity to mount a comeback.

Waiting on the other side of the net will be Alcaraz, who moved into the quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Tommy Paul. The Spaniard arrived in New York having not played competitively since April, yet his performances have suggested little rust. Now Shelton faces perhaps his biggest test of the tournament against an opponent who has won all three of their previous ATP head-to-head meetings.

Their most recent encounter came at Roland Garros last year. This time, with a US Open semi-final place at stake, Shelton will look to turn his strong North American summer into an even bigger breakthrough on home soil.

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