(#USOpen) What is the story behind this trend in Social Media today?
09-09-2026
The 2026 US Open tennis tournament is in its second week at Flushing Meadows, with quarterfinals underway and several matches producing late-night drama that has driven widespread conversation. On Tuesday night into early Wednesday, two Americans produced five-set victories that stood out. Ben Shelton outlasted defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that finished after 3 a.m. local time and ended in a 10-point tiebreak; it was Shelton’s first career win over Alcaraz and sent him into his third Grand Slam semifinal. In an earlier all-American clash, Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down against Alex Michelsen, saved match points, and won in five sets after more than four and a half hours, followed by an emotional on-court embrace that became one of the tournament’s defining images. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka survived a tight three-set battle with Linda Noskova to keep her bid for a third straight title alive, while Jessica Pegula also advanced. Those results, combined with the remaining quarterfinals scheduled for Wednesday featuring Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Zheng Qinwen and others, explain why the tournament has dominated social media discussion today.