Ben Shelton Beats Tommy Paul, Felix Auger-Aliassime Falls In Tokyo QFs | ATP Tour

After a season of Grand Slam success, Ben Shelton can add ATP Tour semi-finalist to his record of 2023 breakthroughs.

The #NextGenATP American overcame his countryman Tommy Paul 7-6(4), 6-3 on Friday within the quarter-finals on the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships. The large-serving lefty delivered a rock-solid show in Tokyo, the place he saved six of seven break factors he confronted to seal a one-hour, 38-minute triumph and set a semi-final conflict with one other American, Marcos Giron.

“It was positively a troublesome problem, as it’s everytime you play in opposition to a man as proficient and as robust as Tommy Paul,” stated Shelton. “To have the ability to get by means of that with a win, it took a variety of psychological toughness. I needed to keep calm within the first set, serving for the set after which getting damaged and having to complete it within the tie-breaker. It was a troublesome process however I’m pleased to be transferring on.”

Again within the last 4 👊@BenShelton defeats compatriot Tommy Paul to succeed in his second tour-level semi-final in as many months.#kinoshitajotennis | @japanopentennis pic.twitter.com/YUJhvPjVC7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 20, 2023

Shelton transformed each break factors he earned in his third Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly with the No. 12-ranked Paul. The pair had cut up their first two clashes on the Australian Open and the US Open earlier this yr, however it was Shelton who discovered one thing further at key moments to enhance to 5-8 in opposition to High 20 opponents.

After reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals and the US Open semi-finals, Shelton is now into the final 4 at an ATP Tour occasion for the primary time with a Tokyo run which has lifted the 21-year-old two spots to No. 17 within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Rankings. No matter whether or not he progress additional in Japan, Shelton is ready to eclipse his career-high of No. 19 when subsequent replace of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is launched on Monday.

Friday’s defeat dented Paul’s late-season cost in the direction of Nitto ATP Finals qualification. The 26-year-old stays twelfth within the Pepperstone ATP Dwell Race To Turin, 515 factors adrift of eighth-placed Holger Rune within the last qualification spot for the celebrated season finale.

Shelton’s semi-final opponent in Tokyo can be qualifier Giron, who continued his spectacular run within the Japanese capital with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph in opposition to eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Giron rode a lightning-fast begin in each units to an 81-minute win in opposition to Auger-Aliassime, who had proven indicators of a return to kind by reaching his first tour-level quarter-final since Might. But he couldn’t match the 30-year-old Giron’s consistency in blustery situations inside Ariake Coliseum. The World No. 79 led 4-0 within the first set and 3-0 within the second, in the end changing 5 of eight break factors he earned to cost into his maiden ATP 500 semi-final.

“I’m actually pleased with right this moment’s efficiency,” stated Giron, who held his nerve after dropping 4 of 5 video games in the course of the second set. “Felix is clearly an outstanding participant, been High 10 on this planet, gained a variety of titles. He’s overwhelmed me down fairly good the previous few occasions we performed, so coming in right this moment I knew I needed to play nicely and I needed to play aggressive.

“It’s windy, however I began off very well. Within the second set I went up a break and it cooled off, bought even windier, and it bought a bit tough. He raised his stage, however we’re skilled tennis gamers, we do that for a dwelling, and we’ve bought to be prepared for something that comes our approach.”