09 September,2026 03:32 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sachin Tendulkar praised Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz after US Open thriller (Pic: AFP)
Former Indian star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar hailed Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz after the tennis stars delivered one of the greatest matches in US Open history.
In a topsy-turvy match, Shelton knocked out the defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz with a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) win, with the match ending at half past three at night.
Tendulkar, who is a tennis fan himself, took to social media and praised the two players for their effort throughout the match.
'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' Sachin Tendulkar tweeted.
In a cagey first set, Carlos Alcaraz held his nerve to win the tie-break and take an early lead, but any murmurs about this being a quick finish were put to bed by an inspired Shelton who found his top form in the second set.
Shelton dominated the second set from the off, attacking Alcaraz's serve. While the Spaniard managed to hold his opening service game, Shelton took complete control from there, winning nine consecutive games against a struggling Alcaraz to claim both the second and third sets.
A late-night stomach bug hit Alcaraz hard as he was visibly throwing up in his towel during the changeover. However, the Spanish star engineered a remarkable turnaround to claim the fourth set 6-1.
The final set went into a 10-point tie-break as Alcaraz and Shelton both managed to hold their service games. Such were the fine margins that even the tie-break was tied at 6-6 during the second changeover, but then there was a breakthrough.
Ben Shelton broke Alcaraz's serve and closed out the match with a signature big serve, sealing a historic 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) victory. Lasting 4 hours and 29 minutes, the match finished at 3.33 am, marking the latest finish in US Open history.
With this win, Shelton ended a 17-match losing streak against top-3 players. The 23-year-old also became the first-ever American to beat Carlos Alcaraz in a Grand Slam.
Ben Shelton will now face Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final, with the winner likely to face top seed Alexander Zverev in the showpiece final on Sunday.
