US Open 2026: the Tiafoe–Shelton semifinal will be 100% American, 100% Yonex

The Tuesday night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium will go into the record books: Ben Shelton eliminated Carlos Alcaraz in the latest-finishing match in US Open history, a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7) marathon the Atlanta native closed with a 146 mph serve the Spaniard couldn't return. "I'm tired. It was a war," Shelton said after the biggest win of his career — one that ends the title defence of Alcaraz, who was playing his first tournament since April after a wrist injury and vomited before the fifth set.

Shelton's war: nine straight games and a 146 mph finish

The match swung in phases. Alcaraz took the first set in a tiebreak; that sparked the American's response, as he reeled off nine consecutive games to lead 6-1, 3-0. The Spaniard — 15-2 in five-set matches coming into the night — fought back like the champion he is and even led 5-3 in the deciding tiebreak after four straight points. But Shelton's 140-mph serves and a few Alcaraz errors tipped the scales. No man has defended the US Open title since Federer's five straight from 2004 to 2008: the 18-tournament streak without a repeat champion will last at least one more year.

Friday 11: an all-American semifinal... and 100% Yonex

The other men's semifinal spot is already decided: Frances Tiafoe, who came back from two sets down against Alex Michelsen (5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6). The result: there will be an American man in the US Open final on Friday, something no American has won since Andy Roddick in 2004. And the gear detail: Tiafoe plays with the Yonex Percept 97 and Shelton with the Yonex EZONE 98, so the first men's semifinal is guaranteed for the Tokyo-based brand whoever wins.

The bottom half of the draw is decided tonight: Karen Khachanov is already through after Belgian teenager Alexander Blockx retired with a rib injury, awaiting the winner of the night session between Zverev and van de Zandschulp.

Thursday 10: a new No. 1 and an unbreakable Gauff

The women's draw serves up two blockbuster semifinals. First: Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula. The two-time defending champion survived Linda Noskova in another deciding-tiebreak epic (7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(10-7)) to reach her sixth straight US Open semifinal; Pegula got past Navarro in three. Second: Elena Rybakina vs Coco Gauff, with the Kazakh stepping on court this Wednesday as the new world No. 1 — the 30th since 1975 — after beating Qinwen Zheng (3-6, 6-1, 6-4), with nothing left to prove in the rankings. Gauff, for her part, saved two match points against Mirra Andreeva before winning 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2. If Pegula wins her semifinal, the women's final would also be an all-Yonex affair (EZONE 98 vs VCORE 100).

The semifinalists' rackets, one by one

• Ben Shelton — Yonex EZONE 98 (8th gen)from 247,99 €: easy power with a big sweet spot thanks to the ISOMETRIC profile; the perfect frame for a game built on the serve and the first strike.
• Frances Tiafoe — Yonex Percept 97from 219,99 €: 97 sq in and 310 g of pure control to build the point, the ideal complement to his explosive tennis.
• Jessica Pegula — Yonex EZONE 98 (8th gen)from 247,99 €: the same EZONE 98 as Shelton; consistency and comfort from the eighth generation.
• Elena Rybakina — Yonex VCORE 100 (8th gen)from 261,99 €: spin and control from the VCORE line the new No. 1 used to overwhelm Osaka and Zheng.
• Coco Gauff — Head Boom MP 2026from 169,49 €: Head's Boom MP, intelligent power to hit freely from the back of the court.
• Aryna Sabalenka — Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v10from 169,99 €: the Blade family, the most seen control frame on tour, in its tenth generation.
• Alexander Zverev — Head Speed MP 2026from 195,49 €: Head's Speed MP, the all-court racket from the line that also signs Djokovic.
• And the defeated champion's: Carlos Alcaraz — Babolat Pure Aero 98 (Gen 9)from 269,99 €, the Pure Aero 98 he took to the quarterfinals on his return.