A2AI-generatedSeptember 9, 2026·2 min read·258 words·5 vocab words·Source: The Guardian Sport

Ben Shelton Defeats Champion Carlos Alcaraz

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Ben Shelton Defeats Champion Carlos Alcaraz
Photo: "Ben Shelton (2023 DC Open) 08" by Hameltion is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
In brief

Ben Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a long five-set match at the US Open. The match lasted over four hours and ended at three thirty-three in the morning. Alcaraz was tired after returning from an injury, but he played very hard. Shelton will now play his friend Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals.

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In New York, Ben Shelton played an amazing tennis match against Carlos Alcaraz. This match was at the famous US Open tournament. Alcaraz was the champion and the second seed. Shelton was the eighth seed in this big tournament. The match was very long and difficult for both players. It lasted for four hours and twenty-nine minutes. It finally ended at three thirty-three in the morning. Many fans stayed in the until the very end.

Shelton won the match with a close score. The final score was 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6. Alcaraz fought very hard, but he was tired. Before this, he had a serious injury. Because of this, he did not play for four months. During the fourth set, Alcaraz felt sick and vomited. However, he did not stop his fight. He pushed himself to play extra hard in the match.

Now, Shelton is in the semi-finals of the US Open. This is the biggest win of his He will play against Frances Tiafoe in the next round. Tiafoe is another American player and he is also Shelton's friend. Because Alcaraz lost, the tournament will have a new champion this year. The last American man to win a grand slam was Andy Roddick. His famous happened twenty-three years ago.

After the match, both players spoke to the media. Shelton called Alcaraz one of the greatest champions. He also called the match very fun. Alcaraz was not sad about losing the match. He smiled because he was healthy. He Shelton's great play.

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Comprehension
Question 1 of 3

Who was the defending champion of the US Open in this match?

Grammar spotlight

Past Simple for Completed Actions

One point · A2

We use the past simple to talk about actions that started and finished in the past.

From this article

In New York, Ben Shelton played an amazing tennis match against Carlos Alcaraz.

What to know · A2

Use it today

Try saying this aloud

Neutral register

Scenario: You are describing a challenging sports match you played last weekend to your family.

  1. 01The match was very long and difficult.
  2. 02I pushed myself to play extra hard.
  3. 03This is the biggest win of my career.

Register tip · informal

🔑Key Phrases

His famous victory happenedHis famous victory happened

Used to describe a notable past event that succeeded.

Subject + past simple verb

His famous victory happened last summer.

Accent

Article Audio — Kokoro TTS

Ben Shelton Defeats Champion Carlos Alcaraz

💬Discussion Questions

Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.

  1. 1

    How do you think injuries affect a professional athlete's performance?

    Evaluate
  2. 2

    Why is playing a match until 3:33 AM difficult for tennis players?

    Opinion
  3. 3

    Would you prefer to watch a sports match live in a stadium or on television?

    Compare
  4. 4

    How do you feel when you play a game against a close friend?

    Personal
  5. 5

    What qualities make a tennis player successful?

    Opinion
  6. 6

    Why did Alcaraz smile even though he lost the match?

    Evaluate
  7. 7

    How do you think Shelton felt after winning the biggest match of his career?

    Predict
  8. 8

    Do you think tennis is more popular than team sports like soccer in your country?

    Compare

News sourced from: The Guardian Sport. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.

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