Ben Shelton’s Memorable Victory at the U.S. Open

It was quite a moment for Ben Shelton, and he certainly didn’t forget about the support from his sister and best friend who cheered him on from the crowd.

Shelton managed to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in an intense five-set match early on Wednesday morning during the U.S. Open. After the match, he had a heartfelt request for his sister and her workplace.

“I really hope my best friend and my sister don’t have to rush to work at 6 a.m. in just a few hours. It would be amazing if their bosses could give them the day off today,” he expressed during an on-court interview with ESPN.

This victory marked one of the latest matches in U.S. Open history, starting just after 11 p.m. ET and extending over four hours.

Emma Shelton, Ben’s sister, is a former college tennis player and currently works in finance for Morgan Stanley. She has been a tremendous supporter, often traveling globally to watch her brother’s matches.

From her seat, Emma couldn’t contain her joy after witnessing Ben become the first American to triumph over the world’s No. 3 player in a Grand Slam event.

He’s referred to Emma as his “lucky charm”, especially recalling last year at Wimbledon when she had to leave early to return to work in New York City.

The siblings were raised by their father, Bryan, a former professional player who dedicated his time to coaching them to reach their tennis aspirations.

Ben was seen celebrating with his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, and signaling to his support group throughout the night at the U.S. Open.

Although he conquered Alcaraz, he still faces some formidable challengers ahead in the tournament.

Shelton is set to compete against Frances Tiafoe on Friday, with match time scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

There’s also the possibility of meeting top seed Alex Zverev in the finals, depending on the outcomes of their respective matches.