Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton Expert Tips and Best Bets | September 8

The quarterfinals of the US Open are here, and some enthralling matchups are set to take place on Tuesday as some of the best players in the world go head to head. Our best bets of the day focus on the number one seeds on both sides of the draw, while elsewhere we take a look at a really interesting clash between a couple of home town favourites in Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelson. Take a look at all of our reasoning and best bets for the day’s action below.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton: Alcaraz -1.5 sets | $1.50 with Betista

Rust? Not for Carlos Alcaraz. Despite entering the US Open on the back on an extended break through injury, the world number two has cruised his way through to the quarterfinals, dropping just a solitary set along the way. Ben Shelton will be the toughest opponent that he has faced so far, the American now a top-10 player in the world and having enjoyed an impressive run to the quarters himself despite being dealt a difficult draw, but Alcaraz has had the wood over the local in their past matchups – as he has over just about everyone in the world. The pair have faced off against one another on three occasions prior to this, with Alcaraz winning each of them and dropping only a solitary set along the way. Shelton has pushed him individually in those sets but generally been unable to actually claim the points, and it’s easy to see that happening again here. Don’t expect the number eight seed to go down without a fight, but Alcaraz should be able to advance through to the semi-finals in either three or four tight sets.

Francis Tiafoe vs Alex Michelson: Tiafoe to win | $1.65 with BetandPlay

Fortunately for the local crowd, they have more than just one hope left in the draw, and even if Shelton does go down to Alcaraz they are still guaranteed to have someone to root for in the semis. This all-American matchup comes between two players who haven’t dropped a set in their last three matches each – Tiafoe required five in his first round match but has been flawless since, while Michelson hasn’t dropped a set the entire tournament. It’s been an incredibly impressive performance by the world number 46, who had never previously made it past the second round of his own Grand Slam and never past the fourth round of any Grand Slam, but he is yet to play anyone of the calibre of Frances Tiafoe. Tiafoe made the semis here in 2022 and 2024 and the quarters in 2023, so he has a lot more experience than his opponent under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows, and with a lot at stake that will likely be telling in this one. The two previous times these two have met Tiafoe has cruised to victory in straight sets, and while Michelson has improved and will likely cause more headaches this time round, the more highly fancied American should prove too good in this one.

Aryna Sabalenka vs Linda Noskova: Sabalenka to win in straight sets | $2.02 with Zoccer

Sabalenka extended her unbeaten run at the US Open to 18 matches in her latest outing, making it four from four straight sets victories at this year’s event as she looks to secure her third consecutive title at Flushing Meadows. Her next opponent is far from an easybeat; Noskova has flown into the top ten in the world over the past few months, with an incredible win at Wimbledon after having never made it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, and now another quarterfinal run in the books. She is a dangerous player, but unlike Sabalenka hasn’t had it all her own way in getting to this stage of the tournament, her last two wins coming in tight three-set matches. These two have met on two separate occasions previously with Sabalenka winning them both in straight sets, and while Noskova is a vastly improved player now, the world number one is looking close to unstoppable right now. As mentioned she’s won all four matches at this event; last year she dropped just one set en route to the title, and the year prior was the same. That is two dropped sets in an incredible 18 matches, so at better than even money with US Open betting sites to do the same again, she’s hard to go past.