Frances Tiafoe Triumphs Over Ben Shelton in Thrilling US Open Match

Frances Tiafoe secured a hard-fought victory against Ben Shelton in their all-American clash at the US Open, winning the match with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3. This victory marks Tiafoe’s advancement to the fourth round of the tournament at Flushing Meadows for the fifth consecutive year.

Last year, Tiafoe faced Shelton in the quarterfinals, where he was eliminated. Two years prior, Tiafoe reached the semifinals of the same tournament, achieving the best Grand Slam performance of his career. After a match lasting 4 hours and 3 minutes, Tiafoe expressed his excitement, spreading his arms wide to acknowledge the cheering crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Following the match, Tiafoe and Shelton embraced at the net.

In a post-match interview, Tiafoe praised Shelton’s abilities, stating, “Ben’s an incredible player. He really is. He goes for all kind of shots. He’s really talented. He can come up with great shots. So can I. It’s highlight after highlight.” Tiafoe’s next match could be against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who was scheduled to play against Alexei Popyrin later that evening.

The match between Tiafoe and Shelton took place in the afternoon, contrary to widespread expectations for a night match. A sparse crowd greeted them, as many spectators had left following an earlier match. Shelton, seeded 13th and hailing from Georgia, and Tiafoe, seeded 20th from Maryland, are part of a group of five American players ranked in the ATP’s top 20.

The highest-ranked American player currently, No. 12 Taylor Fritz, won his match against Francisco Comesana of Argentina with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, advancing in the tournament. Another established matchup for the fourth round is No. 6 Andrey Rublev versus No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov.

In this match, Shelton, a left-handed player, had previously not lost serve in his first two matches but recorded 23 aces, with a remarkable serve speed of 143 mph. However, Tiafoe was able to create 21 break points against Shelton, the most any opponent has achieved, converting five of them. Tiafoe’s ability to charge at the net was also pivotal, as he won 35 of 48 points upon reaching the net and entertained the crowd with his signature “Salt Bae” celebration.

Tiafoe acknowledged that while he was not always successful in five-set matches, he found a way to triumph this time. His recent coach, David Witt, has been instrumental in helping him improve his performance, particularly in Grand Slam events.