Ben Shelton looks primed for more at US Open after breezing into quarterfinals — with big roadblock ahead
New York Post · RC · trust 24/100
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Add The New York Post on Google Ben Shelton dominated from start to finish Sunday night, breezing into the U.S. Open quarterfinals and looking like a threat for even more — far more.
The athletic lefty crushed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, finally putting together a complete performance in Flushing Meadows.
“My team told me that if I didn’t show fully focused [Sunday], they were going to leave,” Shelton joked. “It was all in my head, to be honest. I was focused, played a complete match from start to finish. Yeah, really happy with this performance. It’s my first straightforward match so far this year. I’m happy with the way I played.
“I was just more focused. I was more stable and even emotionally. That’s a big part for me being able to just move on to the next point, not hear any of the outside noise and just lock in. That’s what I did the best [Sunday] … because I was so focused and able to repeat what I was doing point after point, I was able to get into a lot of return games and put pressure on. Finally, for the first time this tournament, I had a focused, purposeful service performance.”
After being broken nine times through his first three wins of this Open, Shelton never even faced a single break point Sunday. As a matter of fact, he only lost 14 points on his serve all night in an utterly dominant performance.
Shelton gave the American men three quarterfinalists in Flushing for only the third time since 2005, and with potential for one more to monopolize half the field.
It’s still been 23 years since an American man has won a major. Shelton was still in diapers, not even a year old when Andy Roddick prevailed here. If he can keep playing the way he did Sunday, Shelton could end that drought.
Granted, Shelton would have to go through Carlos Alcaraz in a Tuesday quarterfinal. He’s 0-3 all time against the defending champ and fully aware of what it will take to get his first win.
“Special tennis. The level [Alcaraz] has been playing at is really, really impressive to be not playing for five months. To come out and do what he’s done so far this tournament has been superhuman,” said Shelton. “He lights up the stadium every time he plays. It’s going to be fireworks on Tuesday. I hope you guys come back, because I’m ready to go.
“It will be a great match. I’m excited for the battle. Never played him here in New York, and, obviously, in the position that I want to be in.”
While Alcaraz is a perfect 13-0 all-time against Americans in Slams, and has successfully come back from his 4 ½-month injury layoff to prove he is healthy, he’ll face arguably the only true contender in this field that could take the racquet out of his hand if he’s serving at his best.
If he serves again like he did Sunday, winning points on a staggering 43-of-51 first serves.
Shelton knows it will take the level he reached against Tsitsipas.
Frances Tiafoe and Alex Michelsen play each other Tuesday in an All-American quarterfinal, while Learner Tien is still alive and set to face Karen Khachanov in Monday’s round of 16.
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