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Ben Shelton Ousts Defending Champion Carlos Alcaraz in US Open Quarterfinals Thriller

By Reuters

NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz's hopes of defending his U.S. Open title were dashed on Tuesday after the Spaniard suffered a dramatic five-set defeat to American Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals.

Shelton edged out Alcaraz 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) in a closely contested match that swung back and forth across five sets.

Alcaraz began strongly, clinching a tight opening set, and later fought back to level the match at two sets apiece despite committing a number of unforced errors. However, he could not sustain his form in the decisive final set, as Shelton lifted his performance at the crucial moments to secure victory and eliminate the defending champion from the tournament.