Ben Shelton beats Denis Shapovalov in four sets to reach US Open fourth round

Ben Shelton is the latest star player at the U.S. Open to work the late, late-night shift — and win.

Ben Shelton produced another statement performance at the 2026 US Open, powering past Denis Shapovalov in a thrilling four-set third-round battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The eighth-seeded American prevailed 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 to book his place in the fourth round.One of the biggest highlights of the contest came from Shelton’s serve. The American unleashed a blistering 147 mph ace down the T, leaving Shapovalov with virtually no chance of getting his racket to the ball. The thunderous delivery underlined the enormous serving power that has become one of Shelton’s biggest weapons on the hard courts.Ben Shelton with a 147 mph serve down the T against Shapovalov.What are you even supposed to do against that? ‍ pic.twitter.com/6nmSW8S3gJ— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 5, 2026 The match was closely fought in the opening two sets, with both players taking a tiebreak. Shelton edged the first 7-3, but Shapovalov responded by taking the second 7-5 to level the contest. From there, however, Shelton raised his level and seized control, taking the third set 6-3 before closing out the fourth 6-4.The victory continues an impressive US Open campaign for Shelton, who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed. He had already survived a demanding second-round encounter against Hubert Hurkacz, winning 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5.Shelton's win also sets up a fourth-round meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas. With the American enjoying strong home support and carrying momentum from his recent title-winning run in Montreal, he will now look to make another deep run in New York.

Ben Shelton beat Denis Shapovalov in four sets in the third round of the US Open, making it the first time since 2023 he has reached this stage. Ben Shelton played late into Friday night against Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the US Open.