Shelton Beats Hurkacz in US Open R2

Ben Shelton beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday to reach the US Open third round, per the Associated Press. The No. 8 seed needed four sets and a tiebreak to put away the Polish veteran on a rainy day-four slate that kept roofs closed and outside courts waiting.

Shelton is the highest-ranked American man still rolling through Flushing Meadows this fortnight. Ashe already hosted Jessica Pegula earlier Wednesday. Shelton's afternoon session carried the same home noise New York usually saves for night, and the crowd stayed loud through every flip after Hurkacz stole the second set.

How the sets broke

Shelton took the opener 6-3, then watched Hurkacz answer 7-5 in the second. The third went to a tiebreak that Shelton locked 7-3, and he closed the fourth 7-5 to finish the job, per AP's Brian Mahoney. Hurkacz has spent years living on big serves and sticky holds. Shelton had to keep returning deep and forcing one more ball when the Pole tried to sneak through a break window late in sets.

That is the version of Shelton New York has been waiting on since his 2023 US Open run to the semifinals. Serve first, ask questions later, and refuse to gift a set when the roof is closed and the stadium is full of American flags. Hurkacz made him earn the tiebreak instead of folding after the second-set loss, which is exactly how Round 2 traps get set for seeds who expect a straight-sets stroll.

What third round means

Day four was still catching up from Tuesday rain. Some players were finishing first-round leftovers while seeds like Shelton and Daniil Medvedev punched through second-round matches under cover. Shelton's win keeps the American men stacked after Frances Tiafoe's late-night five-setter and Taylor Fritz's earlier win already on the board. The tournament wanted Wednesday to be a clean second-round day. Weather refused, so the seeds who finished under a roof suddenly look smarter just for being done.

For more Flushing Meadows chaos already live on Smacktok, see Tiafoe surviving Martin Damm and Alexander Zverev's five-set grind. Shelton's path now runs through whoever waits in Round 3, with Ashe noise still following him every time he steps on court. Four sets, one tiebreak, and a clean ticket to the second-week conversation. That is a Wednesday American fans will take every time the draw hands them a winnable but uncomfortable Ashe assignment.