Carlos Alcaraz shoos cameraman after feeling the need to vomit into his towel
The Spaniard gave everything in his US Open return, but his body was pushed to the limit
Carlos Alcaraz showed just how much he had left in the tank during his return to the US Open after nearly five months away from the court. Even Ben Shelton acknowledged how impressive it was for the Spaniard to produce that level of tennis after spending months sidelined with a right wrist injury. His effort, however, was not enough to defeat the American.
The match became historic as the two players battled for 4 hours and 28 minutes , setting a new record for the longest match in US Open history. It finished after 3 a.m. in New York, with both players pushed through an exhausting night . For Alcaraz, the physical demands became even more evident when he struggled to keep his stomach under control.
Alcaraz refused to give up despite showing clear signs of fatigue
The Spaniard showed his fighting spirit by forcing a tiebreak when his body language suggested he was running out of energy. The match was still far from decided, with both players unwilling to let the chance to reach the semifinals slip away.
That effort came with a physical price. Alcaraz vomited twice into a towel during the fourth set, but t he striking part was that he had time to shoo the cameraman away before he did . He appeared to hold his stomach for a few more seconds while asking the cameraman to move back , seemingly even alerting the chair umpire to why he was asking for some space. D espite his attempt to avoid being filmed, the moment was still captured.
His body was sending a clear warning
Seeing players vomit on court can be shocking because it shows how much physical strain their bodies are under during these matches . In those moments, the body is essentially asking them to stop.
Alcaraz, however, finished the match. He and Shelton continued to hold serve in the final set, while the Spaniard saved three break points that would have put Shelton at 5-3 with the American serving . The final set went to a super tiebreak, and this time it went Shelton's way.
Alcaraz made sure to congratulate Shelton after the match, telling him he deserved the victory . Despite the defeat, the Spaniard said he was very proud of the level he showed in his return to the courts after nearly five months away. The American's victory guarantees a home player will be in Sunday's final . Shelton will now face fellow American Frances Tiafoe on Friday for a place in the championship match.
