In his fourth matchup with Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton may have thought that he would be catching the Spaniard at the right time.
Well, it turns out that there might be no “right time” to see Alcaraz on the other side of the net.
With the Spaniard in resurgent form following four months away from tennis because of a wrist injury, Alcaraz and Shelton will collide in the quarterfinal of the U.S. Open on Tuesday night. All three of their previous meetings have gone Alcaraz’s way — 6-3, 7-6(3) at the 2023 Toronto Masters, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2024 Laver Cup, and 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a fantastic Roland Garros fourth-round match last spring.
Shelton gets another shot at the seven-time Grand Slam champion thanks to playing some of his best-ever tennis. The 23-year-old captured a second consecutive Canada Masters title last month and — following an immediate loss in Cincinnati that allowed him to rest up for this event — has remained hot in New York. Shelton, who reached the semifinals in 2023, is back in the U.S. Open quarters following victories over Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz, Denis Shapovalov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Nobody, though, has looked better than Alcaraz — even after being sidelined since Barcelona in April. The world No. 3 has returned like gangbusters, dropping just one set en route to the last eight while rolling over Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, Yibing Wu, and Tommy Paul.
Needless to say, this matchup doesn’t favor Shelton like the ones he had against and Shapovalov and Tsitsipas in the last two rounds. Unsurprisingly, the American used his big lefty serve and forehand to pepper the one-handed backhands of that duo. In the process, Shelton ended a 149-year streak of at least one man with a one-handed backhand reaching the semifinals of a Grand Slam. Unfortunately for the eighth seed, Alcaraz wields one of the most solid two-handed backhands in the game — one that has never had any trouble with Shelton’s power in the past.
When the draw came out, being in Alcaraz’s quarter was not necessarily thought to be terrible news given the circumstances. Fast forward 12 days and now it looks like nothing but misfortune for Shelton. In the top half, the world No. 9 would have a very realistic shot at reaching his first slam final. In this spot, Alcaraz appears to be too tough of a quarterfinal foe.
Pick: Alcaraz in 4
WWW?
Yep Alcaraz in 4
I think Tommy Paul put it all into focus in his post match interview last night: “Even if I had played my very best, I would have lost”…..and that’s just the way it is….Carlos in 3.
Alcaraz in three. And it will be a fabulous match to watch! Hopefully Shelton plays like he did last match and actually atretches Alcaraz. Otherwise it will be quick.
Carloth Alcarath Garfinkle
I’m missing something here. Is this a play on Art Garfunkel?
BTW what do you call a man who’s been nailed to the wall?
No, it’s a jab at the way snobby Spaniard’s pronounce their syllables. Z as Th. C as F. It’s the equivalent of Ye’ Ol’ English, but in Spanish. It’s silly. If you go back and read English from the 1700-1800’s T’s as F’s and so on.
If Montreal Shelton shows up, he wins. Alcaraz is fighting history – no man has EVER won the USO without playing Cincinnati and/or Canada beforehand. Give me Shelton in 4 or 5.
Alcaraz has already done a lot of “never befores” and is simply the better player, even coming back from injury. If he’s healthy, IMO Shelton is toast.
In the Daily Picks section it says “Shelton over Alcaraz in 4”.
I Noticed that too
typo
Can’t see past Alcaraz winning this match, or the whole thing
Best 1st Set of the Year. Amazing.