Who is Carlos Alcaraz's US Open 2026 quarterfinal opponent? World no 3 Spaniard gets surprise on live show

Carlos Alcaraz was taken by surprise when he found out that his quarterfinal opponent in men's singles at the US Open 2026 would be local star Ben Shelton. Playing his first Grand Slam in four months after missing the previous two due to injury, the 23-year-old Alcaraz has been good so far, dropping just one set in his first four matches.

Against Tommy Paul, Alcaraz dictated play and overcame the American 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to extend his all-win record against the World no 21. In the process, Alcaraz became the 10th man to beat the same opponent at each Grand Slam in the Open Era.

But Alcaraz was left confused when he entered the ESPN live interview just after his victory. Andy Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion, asked Alcaraz about the challenges either player would present. A confused Alcaraz asked him to repeat the question.

“You're either going to play Shelton or Tsitsipas. Maybe just a word on both of them and the challenges ...” He didn't get to finish the sentence because Alcaraz leaned over to look at the paper in front of Roddick. “Really? Oh my God, I thought I was playing Medvedev-Tiafoe,” Alcaraz said.

Ben Shelton beats Stefanos Tsitsipas

Shortly after, eighth seed Shelton outshone Stefanos Tsitsipas, sealing a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 victory to reach the quarterfinals and set up a clash with Alcaraz. The American showed he has the tools to trouble the Spaniard, though he said that it would take special tennis to beat the defending champion.

Shelton blended raw power with a delicate touch and sharp decision-making to overwhelm Tsitsipas in an opening set that lasted only 31 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium. With the focus now shifting to Alcaraz, Shelton will look to draw from a training encounter with the Spaniard.

Who is Ben Shelton? All you need to know

Born in 2002 in Atlanta, Georgia, Shelton grew up in a tennis-rich family. He played American football in his early childhood before taking up tennis seriously at the age of 12, coached by his father, Bryan Shelton.

He played collegiate tennis for the Florida Gators from 2020 to 2022 and helped them win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season title. He also won the championship-clinching match at the 2021 NCAA Championships, which was the Florida Gators' first national title.

Making his ATP tour debut in 2022, Shelton defeated Ramkumar Ramanathan of India for his first ATP win at the Atlanta Open after receiving a wildcard. He made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open 2022 after another wildcard entry, losing to Nuno Borges in five sets.

This will be Shelton's fourth appearance in a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. Previously, Shelton's best finishes at Majors included quarterfinal exits at the Australian Open (2023 & 2026) and at Wimbledon (2025).

Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton head-to-head

Meanwhile, ahead of the much-anticipated showdown, Alcaraz will enter the match with a 3-0 head-to-head record against Shelton. Out of the three wins, one victory for Alcaraz came at the French Open in the Round of 16.