ATP Tour

Shelton shuts down Paul’s Turin hopes, reaches Paris SFs

Ben Shelton ended the Nitto ATP Finals hopes of Tommy Paul but simultaneously ensured the Turin qualification of Frances Tiafoe with a quarter-final victory on Friday at the Rolex Paris Masters.

In a match of high stakes for the three Americans, who are also close friends off the court, Shelton outlasted Paul for a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 triumph to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final outside his two title runs in Canada. The big-serving lefty fired 19 aces and converted two of the four break points he earned, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in a hard-earned one-hour, 46-minute victory.

“I thought the first set was definitely a serving contest,” Shelton reflected. “I got a little lucky when I broke him in the first set. He double faulted twice and I hit a slap winner return on break point, so I knew the second set was going to be a real test. Obviously, I went down a break early, and he is such a good frontrunner.

“So to be able to reset, the first hold was huge. I needed that scoreboard pressure to get out in front and I was happy with the way I got the break, playing offensive tennis on my terms, and I served it out really well.”

Currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Shelton has already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, and he will now be joined there by eighth-placed Tiafoe. Even with Paul eliminated from contention, there could still be three Americans at this year’s edition of the prestigious season finale in Turin: Taylor Fritz can overtake Rafael Jodar to claim the final spot in the lineup by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a night-session quarter-final on Friday in Paris.

“Frances has had an outstanding year. One of my best friends, and to see him make Turin for the first time is amazing,” Shelton said of the 28-year-old first-time qualifier Tiafoe. “I think it’s such a cool milestone that not many people get to in their career. I’m super happy for him, and obviously we have had a lot of Americans competing for that spot. It’s been a big year from all of us, and it’s cool that we are all in the mix.”

For now, Shelton’s focus will remain in Paris, where he will take on home favourite Luca Van Assche or qualifier Rinky Hijikata in the semi-finals. The 24-year-old Shelton is the first American to reach the last four at the indoor hard-court event in the French capital since 2017, when eventual champion Jack Sock and John Isner both made that stage.