American eighth seed Ben Shelton continued his impressive run at the US Open with a hard fought victory over Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the third round. Shelton eventually prevailed 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 in a contest that lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes. One of the biggest highlights came from Shelton’s serve. The 23 year old unleashed a remarkable 147 mph ace, sending the ball past Shapovalov before the Canadian could even get into position for a return. The moment showcased the raw power that has made Shelton one of the most dangerous servers on the tour. Shelton finished the match with 14 aces, but his performance was about more than just serving power.

After dropping the second set tiebreak, he stayed composed and raised his level in the third and fourth sets to prevent the match from slipping away. The opening two sets were closely contested, with both players producing aggressive tennis and forcing each other into long exchanges. Shelton won the first set tiebreak, but Shapovalov responded immediately by taking the second set tiebreak to level the contest. The American then found another gear in the third set. He applied greater pressure on Shapovalov's service games while continuing to protect his own serve, eventually taking a two sets to one advantage. He maintained that momentum in the fourth set and completed the victory without allowing the match to go to a decider. The match also had a dramatic late night backdrop. It finished at approximately 2:07 a.m. local time, making it one of the latest ending matches of this year's tournament.

The unusually late finish came after delays to the schedule earlier in the night. For Shelton, the victory represents another significant step at the tournament where he famously reached the semifinals in 2023. He is now through to the fourth round, keeping alive hopes of another deep run in New York. Shelton will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas, who also advanced to the fourth round after defeating Jiri Lehecka. The upcoming matchup promises another major test for the American as he looks to continue his campaign in front of the home crowd. The victory also extends Shelton’s strong record against Shapovalov. The two left handers have developed an entertaining rivalry, with Shelton having won their previous meetings, including a close encounter earlier in 2026.