Eighth seed Ben Shelton defeated Denis Shapovalov 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in a late-night thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the 2026 US Open fourth round. Read the full match report.
Ben Shelton Powers Past Denis Shapovalov in Late-Night US Open Thriller
American tennis sensation Ben Shelton delivered a truly jaw-dropping performance to defeat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the thrilling third round of the 2026 US Open. Playing under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium in an epic match that finished well past 2 a.m., the eighth-seeded Shelton secured a hard-fought 7-6 (3), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory. With this monumental win, the incredibly talented American successfully books his well-deserved ticket to the tournament’s second week, sending the passionate home crowd into a massive late-night frenzy. See also: Alexander Zverev Sweeps Tabilo to Reach Last 16
A Fierce Battle of Powerful Lefties
From the very first point, this highly anticipated matchup between two uniquely powerful left-handed players promised spectacular shotmaking, and it completely delivered on that promise. Both Ben Shelton and Shapovalov came out swinging aggressively, hitting massive forehands and battling tirelessly to protect their booming serves. The opening set was incredibly tight, with neither player willing to give an inch of ground. It inevitably went to a tense tiebreaker, where Shelton quickly found his absolute best rhythm. He confidently stepped up his aggressive baseline play and executed brilliant winners to take the tiebreaker 7-3, securing a vital early lead in the marathon contest.
Shapovalov Fights Back Bravely
Entering the second set, Shapovalov showed immense fighting spirit and incredible resilience. The dynamic Canadian focused heavily on cutting down his unforced errors while continuing to apply intense pressure on Shelton’s service games. Once again, the two fierce competitors could not be separated during regular play, leading to yet another dramatic tiebreaker. This time around, Shapovalov remained completely composed under the immense pressure. He served beautifully and narrowly edged out the American 7-5, successfully leveling the exciting match at one set apiece.
A Masterclass in Modern Serving
As the physically demanding match entered the crucial third and fourth sets, Ben Shelton miraculously found another gear. He put on an absolute masterclass in modern power serving. Firing an astonishing 147 mph serve directly down the T, he completely overwhelmed Shapovalov’s exhausted defenses. Shelton hammered an impressive 14 aces throughout the exhausting three-hour and 22-minute battle. He successfully broke Shapovalov early in both the third and fourth sets, confidently protecting those crucial advantages with his unreturnable delivery. He smoothly closed out the third set 6-3 and finished the fourth set 6-4 to gracefully seal the memorable victory.
Ben Shelton will now carefully prepare for a highly anticipated fourth-round clash against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, hoping to confidently continue his magical run at Flushing Meadows.