Ben Shelton defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 at the US Open, advancing to the quarterfinals. Shelton had a dominant performance, losing only 14 points on his serve all night and never facing a break point. This is his first straightforward match of the year, and he now faces a tough roadblock in defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in Tuesday's quarterfinals. The article suggests that Shelton has the potential to end the 23-year drought for an American man winning a major title at the US Open.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Here's a summary of the news stories about the US Open tennis tournament:
- Taylor Fritz was cruising to win his third-round match against Francisco Cerundolo, leading 2-0 in sets, but suffered an epic collapse, losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 (Article 7).
- Coco Gauff and Alexander Zverev both advanced to the last 16 of the tournament, with Gauff beating Elena Rybakina in a three-set match (Article 5).
- In other matches, Naomi Osaka overcame a mental and physical battle to outlast Elise Mertens in a three-setter (Article 5), while Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva also reached the last 16 (Article 6).
- Frances Tiafoe beat Medvedev in a thrilling match on Louis Armstrong Stadium, coming from behind to win 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 (Article 8).
- In other men's matches, Andrey Rublev was beaten by Holger Rune, while Stefanos Tsitsipas lost to Jannik Sinner (Article 5).
Overall, the tournament has been marked by upsets and close matches, with many top players advancing to the last 16.
Written for “US Open Tennis Tournament” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 18 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 6541 · logged 2026-09-07
Ben Shelton dominated from start to finish Sunday night, breezing into the U.S. Open quarterfinals and looking like a threat for even more — far more.
asserted
Shelton → dominate → more
The athletic lefty crushed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, finally putting together a complete performance in Flushing Meadows.
asserted
lefty → crush → Meadows
“My team told me that if I didn’t show fully focused [Sunday], they were going to leave,” Shelton joked.
asserted
Shelton → tell → me
I was focused, played a complete match from start to finish.
asserted
I → play → finish
It’s my first straightforward match so far this year.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
I’m happy with the way I played.
asserted
I → ’m → way
That’s a big part for me being able to just move on to the next point, not hear any of the outside noise and just lock in.
asserted
me → ’ → noise
That’s what I did the best [Sunday] … because I was so focused and able to repeat what I was doing point after point, I was able to get into a lot of return games and put pressure on.
asserted
I → ’ → pressure
Finally, for the first time this tournament, I had a focused, purposeful service performance.
asserted
I → have → performance
After being broken nine times through his first three wins of this Open, Shelton never even faced a single break point Sunday.
asserted
Shelton → break → point
As a matter of fact, he only lost 14 points on his serve all night in an utterly dominant performance.
asserted
he → lose → performance
Shelton gave the American men three quarterfinalists in Flushing for only the third time since 2005, and with potential for one more to monopolize half the field.
asserted
Shelton → give → field
It’s still been 23 years since an American man has won a major.
asserted
man → win → major
Shelton was still in diapers, not even a year old when Andy Roddick prevailed here.
asserted
Roddick → prevail → diapers
If he can keep playing the way he did Sunday, Shelton could end that drought.
uncertain
Shelton → keep → drought
Granted, Shelton would have to go through Carlos Alcaraz in a Tuesday quarterfinal.
asserted
Shelton → grant → quarterfinal
He’s 0-3 all time against the defending champ and fully aware of what it will take to get his first win.
asserted
it → ’ → win
The level [Alcaraz] has been playing at is really, really impressive to be not playing for five months.
asserted
Alcaraz → play → months
To come out and do what he’s done so far this tournament has been superhuman,” said Shelton.
asserted
Shelton → come → what
“He lights up the stadium every time he plays.
asserted
he → light → stadium
It’s going to be fireworks on Tuesday.
asserted
It → go → Tuesday
I hope you guys come back, because I’m ready to go.
asserted
I → hope → ?
I’m excited for the battle.
asserted
I → ’m → battle
Never played him here in New York, and, obviously, in the position that I want to be in.”
asserted
I → play → that
While Alcaraz is a perfect 13-0 all-time against Americans in Slams, and has successfully come back from his 4 ½-month injury layoff to prove he is healthy, he’ll face arguably the only true contender in this field that could take the racquet out of his hand if he’s serving at his best.
uncertain
he → come → best
If he serves again like he did Sunday, winning points on a staggering 43-of-51 first serves.
asserted
he → serve → serves
Shelton knows it will take the level he reached against Tsitsipas.
asserted
he → know → Tsitsipas
Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen play each other Tuesday in an All-American quarterfinal, while Learner Tien is still alive and set to face Karen Khachanov in Monday’s round of 16.
asserted
Tien → play → 16
