Alcaraz, after losing to Shelton: "I'm leaving happy, I missed this"

Carlos Alcaraz has reasons to be very proud of what he accomplished in this US Open 2026. After nearly five months without competing, the player from Murcia has honored tennis with his good play, commitment on the court, and fighting spirit until the end. Losing to Ben Shelton has been a bitter pill to swallow, but the way he interprets this positively is characteristic of great champions.

The worst thing about these matches is that there can only be one winner. Carlos Alcaraz faced the bitter side of a duel that is already part of tennis history and will be etched in the collective imagination of this sport. The Spaniard appeared before the accredited media at the US Open 2026 to reflect on his feelings, showing a mature perspective and looking at the glass as half full.

This is what Carlos Alcaraz said after losing in the US Open 2026 to Ben Shelton

Analysis of the loss to Shelton and the importance of serving

"After the third set, I was really physically exhausted, but I found a way to push myself a bit more and keep giving that extra. In the fifth set, I started to feel better and better, but I was playing against one of the best. Shelton is a beast, an incredible player, very powerful, and he knew how to play really well in every situation. He deserves all the credit."

"Serving is a very important weapon in these kinds of situations, but sometimes you win and other times you lose. I remember that the last tiebreaker of this kind I played was in Paris, and I had an incredible match at that moment."

"This time, when you’re trying to fight and overcome all the physical issues, when you’re very tired and, moreover, he’s serving, it puts a lot of pressure on you. You think: ‘Okay, I have to try to return the serve.’ You don’t know if you’re going to be able to play the point or if he’s going to get a free point with the serve. I think at those moments, he took great advantage of his service. It’s not an excuse, but I would say serving is a very important weapon in these types of moments."

El tenis definitivamente te extrañó 💙 pic.twitter.com/ekTFpZosyG

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2026

Positive outlook after time out due to injury

"As I said before the tournament started, my goal was to compete, play these kinds of matches, and, above all, do it while being healthy. I came very close. So I’m not going to be disappointed for not having won in the end. I’m happy and proud of myself, of how I fought throughout the match. I’m leaving the court happy. I’m leaving with a smile and being healthy, and that’s what I needed."

"It’s always tough to lose these kinds of matches, but you have to look at it with perspective. I train hard every day to experience emotions like today. I think it was a magical night; we both played great tennis, and it means a lot to me to have been at this level. I missed this, searching for solutions during the matches, suffering, enjoying with the crowd. I’m going home happy. I want to rest, train hard, and compete for the rest of the year because there are important tournaments left."

This maturity and rational perspective is something that only a few possess. Carlos Alcaraz demonstrates that he is a legend of the sport both in victory and in defeat. The way he bid farewell to the US Open 2026 only enhances his stature, and both his tennis and his words inspire all fans looking forward to upcoming events.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz, tras perder con Shelton: "Me voy contento, echaba de menos esto"