The 2026 US Open men's draw has opened significantly with Jannik Sinner absent due to injury and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz eliminated in the quarterfinals. Ben Shelton produced the standout result by rallying past Alcaraz in a five-set marathon that finished at 3:33 a.m., the latest in tournament history, while Frances Tiafoe overcame a two-set deficit to defeat fellow American Alex Michelsen in another five-setter. Alexander Zverev advanced in straight sets, and Karen Khachanov moved forward when Alexander Blockx retired. These results set an all-American semifinal between Shelton and Tiafoe, with Zverev facing Khachanov on the opposite side, leaving the final four highly competitive and sensitive to recent form, physical recovery, and surface-specific execution on hard courts.