NEW YORK : Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the US Open after American Ben Shelton pulled off a stunning five-set victory in a marathon quarter-final that lasted four hours and 28 minutes.

World No. 3 Alcaraz made the stronger start at Arthur Ashe Stadium, taking a tightly contested opening set 7-6 (7-5). But Shelton responded emphatically, winning the next two sets 6-1, 6-3 to seize control of the contest.

The Spaniard refused to surrender his title without a fight, storming back to claim the fourth set 6-1 and force a deciding fifth.

But Shelton held his nerve in a dramatic final-set tiebreak, sealing a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory and one of the biggest wins of his career. The contest finished at 3.33am, making it the latest-finishing match in US Open history.

The victory also snapped Alcaraz’s 18-match winning streak at Grand Slam tournaments and gave Shelton his first career win over a player ranked inside the world’s top three.

Shelton, the top-ranked American men’s player and eighth seed at the tournament, will now face compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals, guaranteeing an American presence in the men’s final.

The all-American showdown will also keep alive hopes of a first US men’s Grand Slam singles champion since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.

Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, had entered the quarter-final with an unbeaten 13-0 record against American opponents at majors, but Shelton’s powerful serving and aggressive play ultimately proved too much.

The defeat brings an end to Alcaraz’s bid to defend his US Open crown, while Shelton marches into the final four after one of the most dramatic matches of this year’s tournament.

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