2023-09-03 21:56:00
Shelton detonates
Ben Shelton is a man of great scenes. Revealed a year ago at the US Open, quarter-finalist at the Australian Open at the start of the year, here he is once more in the big eight, like in Melbourne. The American logically took over his compatriot Tommy Paul on Sunday on the Arthur-Ashe court, despite a big scare since he might and should have finished this match in three sets. Without consequence, since he finally folded the case in four (6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4) following 2:49 of the match.
Tommy Paul was only the shadow of the 14th world player he is. He had however started ideally with an entry break to lead 3-0 with several double break points for the 4-0. Ben Shelton saved them, and from there the encounter took an unexpected turn, becoming one-sided. The eldest of the two Americans then scored only 5 of the following 21 games. Trailing 6-4, 6-3, 4-1, Paul needed a miracle. He was able to initiate it, failing to go to the end.
Three aces including two at 240km/h: Shelton’s incredible service game
Tennis remains this curious sport where, in a handful of points, a seemingly well-established scenario can shatter. All it took was a little (a lot) of nervousness, one or two bad choices, a service that was falling apart, and Shelton went from an almost certain victory to a lot of doubts. Paul unbroken, then broke, and in less than a quarter of an hour, he was back in this set and this match. Borrowed, slow, almost amorphous, it was suddenly transfigured. His opponent too, but not in a good way.
The servers then made the law throughout, or almost, the 4th act. Until the 10th game. Under pressure, Tommy Paul finally cracked, like this fault too much on the first match point. The good for Shelton, who had the immense merit of not giving in to panic following the loss of the 3rd set. Paul had signed a miracle in this US Open by recovering a two-set handicap once morest Roman Safiullin in the 2nd round. But his shortcomings were too big this Sunday to get out of it.
The long-awaited 100% American duel in New York will take place. A few minutes following Ben Shelton’s victory, Frances Tiafoe did not hesitate to bring the qualifier Rinky Hijikata into line in three small sets dispatched in less than 2 hours (6-4, 6-1, 6-4). Of duel, there will finally not have been.
Despite a first ball at half mast, the American had too much of a margin to really be worried by the Japanese. The latter sometimes forced (31 unforced errors) but above all suffered from the power of the American. If Tiafoe trembled in the last set, getting broken twice, he was able to get back to the place to bend the deal.
His quarter-final once morest Shelton promises to be spectacular. He will have the advantage of knowing his heights better than his younger brother since he had reached the last four last year. Bis repeat?
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