Tag: ben shelton alcaraz

Sep 13, 2026

Author Spotlight: Ben Shelton — The Fearless Showman Who Refused to Play It Quiet

A deep dive on Ben Shelton — the Atlanta-born son of a journeyman pro who fell in love with football before tennis, clinched an NCAA team title and a national singles crown for Florida, then turned professional in 2022 and climbed to American No. 1 and a career-high world No. 5; the left-handed showman whose imaginary-telephone 'dialed in' celebration and 150-mph serve made him the most electric and most controversial young player in tennis, and who reached the 2026 US Open final by dethroning defending champion Carlos Alcaraz at 3:33 a.m.; his defining reflections on fearlessness, self-expression, the game's stifling decorum, and the patience his father taught him; and the legacy of a player one match from ending a 23-year American wait for a men's Grand Slam singles title.

Ben Shelton

Sep 11, 2026

“That was a war, an epic match, so physical — the most enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career, for sure.” — Ben Shelton | Quote of the Day

Ben Shelton, the 23-year-old American No. 1 who broke his 0-17 record against top-three players by dethroning defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-finishing match in US Open history — a 4-hour-28-minute, five-set quarterfinal war that ended at 3:33 a.m. on September 9, 2026 and sent his Wikipedia page past 337,000 views — on the line he gave the cameras moments after the biggest win of his career: that was a war, an epic match, so physical, and somehow the most enjoyable match he has ever played.

Ben Shelton