Only top two seeds out of first six remain for US Open men's quarter-finals
Carlos Alcaraz enters the last eight looking good after a lengthy injury absence
Ben Shelton is on the march as best home candidate but now faces the Spaniard
The 2026 Grand Slam circuit has seen one of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner miss three of the four events. Ever since Alcaraz claimed the Australian Open back in January, normal service has never really resumed. The US Open followed a similar pattern of left-field line-ups. Think Arthur Fery reaching the semis at Wimbledon. Or Matteo Arnaldi doing the same in Paris. Seven of the top ten men’s seeds have crashed and burned. The sniff of a new order, however temporary, could be on the cards.
The business end of the tournament is now in top gear as the quarter-finals loom. The doors of opportunity for the Next Gen – or the graduates from the previous class of wannabes- have been constantly opening this season. Who is brave enough to run through it in the Party Slam?
The latest US Open betting odds are available on LiveScoreBet
Can Shelton Step up against Alcaraz?
Tournament favourite Alcaraz waltzed back inside the ropes after an absence of over four months to knock out Roman Safiullin as if he had never been away. He neutered Tommy Paul's power in the last 16 with blistering forehands and incredible court coverage.. The blitz will now come from home boy Ben Shelton, who is having a grand time on the hard courts this season.
The markets are still backing an immediate Alcaraz return to the winner’s circle on Arthur Ashe Court come Sunday. Can the current Australian Open holder really go all the way with literally no match fitness? Shelton will be the biggest test so far. The American's stock has risen after he defended his Canadian Open title, albeit in a tournament unpopulated by Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
Shelton is warming to the task in front of a home crowd. Since his breakthrough semi appearance at New York in 2023, the 23-year-old has only made the last four once more across all Slams. His game has evolved from the power surge to the more precise, and four of his seven titles are on hard courts. This is the time to strike when the opposition is wobbling. He has a puncher’s chance and can test out any soreness and physical lag Alcaraz is suffering despite a 0-3 track record against the Spaniard. Shelton must stand up and show that he can defeat an elite top three player. He has lost the last nine matches to the missing Sinner.
Zverev is Running into Form After Rough First Week
The best of the rest start with one man who finally broke through the Slam barrier in Paris after three previous failures in finals. Alexander Zverev is still standing, despite two epic five setters against Quentin Halys and Lorenzo Sonego in week one.
While Zverev has some good vibes from his successful Roland Garros run and the SW19 runner-up spot, the hard court season has seen a drop-off. After the win over Halys, he said he hoped he would play better. Zverev has come out the other side with two straight sets victories, but never exudes a huge amount of confidence when questioned about form. Compare that with Alcaraz's positive approach.
Although he lost to Alcaraz in an epic Melbourne semi, the German showed that he was ready to fight on equal terms if both go all the way. This is another huge chance to capture a pot of gold for the 2020 Olympic champion. The 29- year-old needs to show he is a number one seed in the mind. Botic van de Zandschulp awaits in the last eight. The Dutchman's heavy game famously knocked out Alcaraz in 2024, so he is capable of creating some disorder if Zverev is off it.
Khachanov Might Find Blockx to another US Open Semi
Learner Tien was on the cusp of being the next best Stars and Stripes Gen Z until he lost his way against Karen Khachanov in five. The Russian was a semifinalist in 2022, and has reached the last eight or better six times in the slams. He will fancy replicating that again when placed against another new kid on the block, 21-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx, in the quarters.
Tiafoe Feeling the Love As He Targets 3rd US Open Semi
The American dream still exists outside of the Shelton show. Frances Tiafoe is playing as if it is 2024 again when he made the final. The joie de vivre that carried him past Rafael Nadal four years ago was in evidence against Daniil Medvedev in the last 16. This is a fantastic opportunity to make the semis for a third time against unseeded compatriot Alex Michelsen.
As the serial winners deal with the uncertainty of age and injuries, it is not out of the question that a player who has never walked on court at Arthur Ashe on the last Sunday could pull it off.
One thing is for sure. The US Open offers up another chance to disrupt the Sincaraz duopoly.
