NEW YORK — Frances Tiafoe solved Ben Shelton’s massive serve and performed brilliantly on the internet to win their all-American rematch on the US Open 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 on Friday and get again to the fourth spherical at Flushing Meadows for the fifth consecutive yr.
A yr in the past in New York, Tiafoe was eradicated by Shelton in 4 units within the quarterfinals. The yr earlier than that, Tiafoe, who loves the event’s highlight and its electrical energy, defeated Rafael Nadal on the best way to the US Open semifinals, the perfect Grand Slam exhibiting of his profession.
Tiafoe hasn’t at all times excelled at five-setters: He was simply 6-13 in matches that went the gap earlier than Friday. Shelton was 6-2. However none of that mattered on this event. After getting previous Shelton in a match that lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes, Tiafoe unfold his arms extensive and appeared round on the 1000’s cheering in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 2 friends then met on the internet for a hug and a prolonged chat.
“I’ve obtained to say, Ben’s an unbelievable participant, man,” Tiafoe informed spectators throughout a postmatch interview. “He is an unbelievable participant. He actually is. He goes for all type of photographs. He is obtained no care on this planet. It is actually annoying. … He is actually gifted. He can provide you with nice photographs. So can I. It is spotlight after spotlight. I hope you guys loved the present.”
Stated Shelton: “I assumed he performed lights-out at present … you have to be glad for a man and congratulate — particularly a man like him when he is enjoying the best way he is enjoying. I believe that it is vital to point out you could be glad for a man after they beat you.
“Clearly there are some issues I need to do higher. I am a competitor. I at all times need to win. However, you realize, I’ve taken just a few issues from him up to now yr, and I assumed that he is at all times dealt with it nicely. … I informed him hold serving like that, hold returning like that, and see the place this factor goes.”
Up subsequent for Tiafoe is No. 28 Alexei Popyrin, who upset 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, the defending champ at Flushing Meadows, late Friday night time.
Many individuals had been figuring Shelton vs. Tiafoe can be at night time, however as a substitute it was within the afternoon, and commenced in entrance of a sparse crowd as a result of the stands emptied on the conclusion of the earlier encounter, 2023 champion Coco Gauff’s victory over Elina Svitolina.
“All my buddies and shut ones [were] saying, ‘How is he not enjoying at night time? I do not understand how I will get there.’ Da, da, da. Blah, blah, blah. I used to be like, ‘Truth of the matter is, we’re not enjoying at night time. It would not actually matter. I simply need to win,'” Tiafoe mentioned.
“It could have been cool at night time,” he added. “Look, it was epic through the day. I believe everybody liked it.”
Shelton echoed that sentiment.
“It did not really feel like a third-round match. Felt like a kind of that you simply play late within the two weeks,” he mentioned, earlier than including with a smile, “Ought to have been an evening match, however it’s what it’s. However yeah, an amazing environment.”
Shelton, a 21-year-old from Georgia, was seeded thirteenth. Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, is twentieth. They’re each a part of a bunch of 5 Individuals within the high 20 of the ATP rankings, making some assume the nation’s lengthy watch for a males’s champion at a serious might finish quickly. Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open trophy was the latest Slam title for a person from the USA.
The best-ranked U.S. man in the mean time, No. 12 Taylor Fritz, moved on with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win towards Francisco Comesana and now will tackle three-time Slam finalist Casper Ruud, who beat Juncheng Shang in 5 units after dropping the primary two.
Fritz grew to become the primary American man to make the spherical of 16 in any respect 4 majors in a yr since Andre Agassi in 2003.
“It is a fairly cool factor for me to do, as a result of simply final yr I used to be actually scuffling with Grand Slam outcomes,” Fritz mentioned. “Clearly making quarterfinals right here was enormous, however … my [other] Slam performances had been dangerous, so it is good to do quite a bit higher at one thing I put a whole lot of emphasis on, which was performing … on the largest tournaments.”
One more American, Brandon Nakashima, who’s at present ranked No. 50, superior by eliminating Wimbledon semifinalist Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Nakashima, who additionally upset fifteenth seed Holger Rune within the first spherical, will face No. 4 Alexander Zverev, who dropped the primary set earlier than rallying to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 in a match that ended at 2:35 a.m.
One males’s fourth-round matchup established Friday was No. 6 Andrey Rublev vs. No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov.
Shelton, a left-hander, hadn’t misplaced serve even as soon as in two wins this week earlier than Friday and managed to provide 23 aces, reaching 143 mph, the quickest of the event. However Tiafoe accrued a whopping 21 break factors — probably the most by any opponent towards Shelton — and transformed 5. The final made it 3-1 within the fifth set.
The opposite key? Tiafoe saved charging ahead, and he saved placing away volleys. He received 35 of 48 factors when he made it to the web. And, as standard, Tiafoe performed to the followers, breaking out his “Salt Bae” celebration after one level.
“I assumed I made a whole lot of returns, made him play quite a bit. I believe that is one thing I’ve actually improved on since I’ve employed David Witt, focusing quite a bit on that,” Tiafoe mentioned. “That paid a whole lot of dividends. I wanted I served higher all through the match, however I served rather well on the finish, and that is type of what counts.
“It was positively a tricky match. However I believe … the extent was quite a bit larger this yr than we performed final yr all through the 5 units.”
Tiafoe had a 15-15 report on the tour degree this season by way of Wimbledon, however has received 12 of his previous 16 matches since bringing on Witt, Venus Williams’ coach for 11 years, in July at Atlanta.
And after beginning the season 0-4 towards ATP top-20 gamers by way of Wimbledon, he has now received 5 of his previous six matches towards the highest 20, with the lone loss coming towards No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the Cincinnati closing.
ESPN Stats & Info, The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.