For a moment, it seemed like Ben Shelton’s greatest strength might be his downfall. The young American, who recently hit serve speeds of up to 149mph, served 12 aces on Tuesday night and consistently unsettled Frances Tiafoe with his power. However, during two crucial tiebreak points in the third set, his serves faltered. Two consecutive double faults turned a 6-5 advantage into a 7-6 deficit. But Shelton managed to rally and win the tiebreak, ultimately securing a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 victory.
It had been 15 years since two black American men last faced each other at Arthur Ashe Stadium until Tiafoe and Shelton took the center stage on Tuesday. The previous match with that description featured a 28-year-old James Blake outlasting a 19-year-old Donald Young in five sets. This time, there was a similar gap in experience. While Shelton has been on the ATP Tour for less than a year, Tiafoe turned pro in 2015. Tuesday’s match showcased Shelton’s maturity as he defeated Tiafoe.
While distractions and misbehavior had marred other matches in the tournament, the atmosphere was different on this humid night in Queens. The crowd, including notable figures such as Anna Wintour, Emma Watson, and rapper Meek Mill, seemed to understand the significance of this matchup. The players themselves were aware of the stakes, as Tiafoe nervously committed two double faults in the first game before recovering to hold serve.
The following games demonstrated a similar pattern as both players held serve, with Shelton’s powerful shots forcing errors from Tiafoe. The breakthrough came when Tiafoe failed to recover from a third break attempt. This led to Shelton winning the first set with his excitable celebration and his box performing the University of Florida’s signature ‘gator chomp’ (Shelton played there for two years).
Tiafoe struggled to match Shelton’s power but showed resourcefulness. A delicately hit backhand winner in the seventh game demonstrated his ability to adapt and extended his lead to 5-2 with another break. He eventually served for the set, overwhelming Tiafoe with his power and winning the set 6-2.
Tiafoe managed to escape a break early in the next set, holding serve and regaining the lead. However, Shelton’s dominant serving had given his opponent little room for error, and the pressure was on Tiafoe. He capitalized on Shelton’s sloppy game to break him and took a comfortable 5-2 lead. Tiafoe won the set 6-3, acknowledging the crowd’s applause.
From that point on, Shelton appeared more composed and in control. The third set became a test of resilience as both players broke each other three times, leading to a wild period of play. Shelton’s fearless shot-making and ability to respond to Tiafoe’s breaks showcased his determination. In the end, Shelton held his nerve in an intense tiebreak, securing the set and carrying the momentum into the fifth set.
In the fifth set, Shelton broke Tiafoe twice, including in the opening game. His strong performance throughout the match propelled him to victory, ending Tiafoe’s run one round shy of matching his 2022 semifinal run. Shelton will now face Novak Djokovic in the semifinals on Friday.
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