Shelton reaches third tour-level SF in Auckland

Ben Shelton is back into an ATP Tour semi-final for the first time since his he won his maiden tour-level title in Tokyo late last season. The top-seeded American, who also reached the semis at the 2023 US Open, advanced to that stage at the ASB Classic in Auckland with a win against Roberto Carballes Baena on Thursday.

In the pair's first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, Shelton broke late in each set of a 6-4, 6-3 win to set up a semi-final meeting against Japan's Taro Daniel. The victory against the World No. 67 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings improved Shelton to 10-0 against players outside the Top 50 since his Washington defeat to Shang Juncheng in August.

"I definitely had a lot of fun out here today... I'm pretty sure everyone else here had a good time too," Shelton said in his post-match interview, addressing the crowd.

"He's definitely one of the faster players I've played, running down balls, [hitting] passing shots. He served really well and made it difficult on me today, but I felt like I brought out my best tennis in the big moments and I'm happy to be in a semi-final here."

The 21-year-old Shelton remains at No. 16 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings and is guaranteed to remain in that spot as the No. 3 American regardless of his results the rest of the week. He is one place off his career-high of World No. 15, achieved last October.

Shelton showed resilience in addition to his typically electric game to fight off a stern challenge from Spain's Carballes Baena. He saved seven of eight break points in the match and escaped 15/30 as he served out the match on Auckland's centre court, with two big serves sealing the victory after one hour, 40 minutes. Shelton finished with seven aces.

Daniel booked his semi-final place opposite Shelton by opening Thursday's play with a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3 win against qualifier Alexandre Muller. The Japanese World No. 74 led by a set and 4-0 but was forced into a deciding set by Muller's second-set surge. A three-game run from 2-2 in the decider shifted the momentum decisively to send Daniel into his fourth ATP Tour semi-final and first since Belgrade in 2021.

In the bottom half of the draw, #NextGenATP Arthur Fils will take on Alejandro Tabilo after both players advanced to the quarter-finals on Auckland debut.

Tabilo passed the quarter-final stage via a walkover after his opponent, second seed Cameron Norrie, was forced to withdraw due to a left wrist issue. In the final match of the day, Fils led Daniel Altmaier 7-6(2), 1-0 when the German retired with a lower back issue.

The 19-year-old Frenchman Fils is the first teenager to reach the semi-finals in Auckland since a then-17-year-old Rafael Nadal in 2004. Friday’s clash will be Tabilo’s third ATP Tour semi-final, and his first since Santiago in 2022.