Preview: US Open: Ben Shelton vs. Carlos Alcaraz - prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

Carlos Alcaraz will compete in his 15th Grand Slam quarter-final on Tuesday, when he takes on Ben Shelton in what should be a thrilling last-eight US Open clash.

The second seed dispatched Tommy Paul in straight sets in the fourth round, as did Shelton, who halted Stefanos Tsitsipas's resurgence with a routine straight-sets win to reach his second quarter-final in New York.

Ben Shelton vs. Carlos Alcaraz match preview

Shelton's first, second and third-round performances in New York had shown fluctuations, but the American superstar was in no mood to oscillate on Sunday night, dispatching Tsitsipas in straight sets.

The American No. 1's success over Tsitsipas, a one-handed backhand player, also ended a stunning 149-year run of one player with that backhand technique reaching the semi-final of every Slam in singles.

Shelton's reward for advancing to his second US Open quarter-final in his fifth appearance and sixth overall is a clash with Alcaraz, against whom he has yet to beat on the ATP Tour.

Entering this year's tournament in New York on the back of a Washington quarter-final and a successful title defence in Canada, the big-serving left-hander will back himself to solve his Alcaraz riddle.

Nonetheless, getting the better of the defending champion will require the 23-year-old to serve at an impeccably high level for extended periods of the match and to avoid the dips already noticed in previous wins over Tallon Griekspoor, Hubert Hurkacz and Denis Shapovalov.

© Iconsport / Corey Sipkin / ABACAPRESS

The Spanish sensation continues to impress in Queens, with the defending champion's latest 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 success taking him past Tommy Paul for the sixth consecutive time.

Now unbeaten in Majors this year, the second seed carries an 11-0 record at the leading events into Tuesday's meeting with his American opponent.

By recording Sunday's admirable victory, the 23-year-old has now improved to 86.8% in win rate at the hard-court Slams in the Open Era, moving level with Roger Federer and just falling short of Novak Djokovic's 88.1%.

Having not played competitively for almost five months, it was sensible to urge caution before the seven-time Grand Slam champion's return, especially as he had played no tennis in the lead-up to the final Major of the season.

Yet the supreme levels he has shown so far, winning three of his four matches in straight sets and overcoming the tricky Yibing Wu in straight sets, highlight the Spaniard's stratospheric talent and on-court problem-solving.

Now he seeks to extend his 11-match winning streak in Majors this year, a similar run in New York and an 18-match streak at such events since losing to Jannik Sinner at last year's Wimbledon final, to reach the last four in Flushing for the fourth time in his career.

Tournament so far

Ben Shelton vs. Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head

Alcaraz and Shelton have faced off every year since 2023, and 2026 will be no different, with Tuesday marking their first meeting since the 2025 French Open fourth-round match.

The world No. 3 holds a 3-0 record in their one-sided rivalry, even though Shelton's overall game and rally tolerance have improved over the past three years, as has the Spaniard's game.

Their next meeting, though, will take place on American soil for the first time, giving the two-time Canadian Open champion a chance to draw energy from a typically loud US Open crowd and snap his losing run in this matchup.

Having won just one of their previous eight sets, Shelton's level must be exceptionally high throughout to halt Alcaraz's 11-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows. 

We say: Alcaraz to win in four sets

Shelton’s form has fluctuated noticeably in his matches against Griekspoor and Shapovalov before he delivered a stunning performance against Tsitsipas.

However, Alcaraz holds a crucial advantage, having adapted to both day and night conditions, whereas the American has competed exclusively under the lights.

Considering the second seed's outstanding level of play throughout the tournament, a superior head-to-head record and a wrist that continues to hold up, the Spaniard is backed to get the job done in four competitive sets.