Carlos Alcaraz shows resilience despite US Open defeat
Carlos Alcaraz insisted he left the US Open feeling healthy and with a smile on his face despite vomiting during his marathon quarter-final defeat by Ben Shelton, reports BritPanorama.
The world No 3 was sick into a towel before the deciding set of an extraordinary encounter that extended beyond 3am in New York. Alcaraz nonetheless recovered sufficiently to fight until the end, eventually losing a final-set tie-break as Shelton completed a dramatic upset at Flushing Meadows.
Having arrived at the tournament following a four-month absence caused by a right wrist injury, Alcaraz maintained that merely being able to compete in such a demanding contest represented an important step forward. “I said before the tournament began, my expectation was to go there, compete and play in these kinds of matches being healthy,” Alcaraz stated afterwards.
Trailing by two sets to one, Alcaraz responded impressively, winning six of the next seven games to force the match into a decider. However, his physical condition began to deteriorate during the third set, and the eight-time Grand Slam champion later admitted that tiredness had taken its toll. “After the third set, physically I was really tired, but I found a way to push myself up and give extra,” he explained.
Despite the concerning moment of vomiting before the fifth set, Alcaraz began to feel stronger as play progressed, even saving three break points at 4-4 to keep himself in contention. Ultimately, Shelton prevailed in the decisive tie-break, becoming the first player to defeat Alcaraz in a five-set match at a major since 2022.
The result ended Alcaraz’s run of 12 consecutive five-set victories at Grand Slam tournaments. “In the fifth set I just started to feel better but he is a beast,” Alcaraz said, praising Shelton’s performance. “Shelton is an unbelievable player and powerful. He just managed to play really well in every situation, so credit to him.”
Alcaraz had not contested a Tour-level singles match since appearing at the Barcelona Open in April, with his wrist problem forcing an extended period on the sidelines. He made an encouraging return by beating Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, Wu Yibing, and Tommy Paul before running into an inspired Shelton. Notably, the quarter-final was the first match in US Open history to finish after 3am, adding another extraordinary chapter to Alcaraz’s collection of late-night battles at Flushing Meadows.
As Alcaraz reflects on his performance, it’s a reminder of how the struggle for greatness often involves overcoming not just the physical challenges on the court but the sheer unpredictability of sport itself.
