Tiafoe Survives Upset, Advances at ATP 500 in Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Frances Tiafoe managed to avoid an upset during his opening match at the ATP 500 tournament on Wednesday, securing a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory over his opponent.

Sporting a striking gold and burgundy outfit that paid homage to his hometown NFL team, the Washington Commanders, Tiafoe captured a pivotal break at 4-3 in the decisive set. He then closed out the match in the following game, marking a strong start to his campaign in the tournament.

“I didn’t play the best today, but I want to win more like that,” Tiafoe said post-match. He noted his success with an impressive 87 percent win rate on first serves during the match. “No excuses, find ways to win and you have a chance to play better in the next one,” he added.

Tiafoe, currently ranked No. 11 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, has consistently reached the quarter-finals in Washington for the past three years, achieving a personal best semi-final run last year.

In the next round, Tiafoe will face last year’s finalist, who defeated their opponent 6-2, 7-6(3). Tiafoe holds a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head series.

In related news, in another match, American player Ben Shelton recorded a stunning upset over World No. 10 Andrey Rublev, winning 7-5, 6-2. This victory was significant for Shelton, improving his record to 4-2 against Top 10 players this season.

Rublev, a 17-time tour-level champion, struggled against Shelton’s strong consistency, producing a staggering 43 unforced errors throughout the match.