By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, October 21, 2023

 

Ben Shelton edged Marcos Giron 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4 in an all-American Tokyo semifinal to reach his first career final where he will face Aslan Karatsev.

Photo credit: Japan Open Facebook

Ben Shelton believes he brings his best on big stages.

The US Open semifinalist scripted a powerful comeback plotline in Tokyo.

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Down a set and 2-5, Shelton stormed past compatriot Marcos Giron 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4 in an all-American Tokyo semifinal to reach his first career final at the Japan Open. 

Battling back from the brink, Shelton served 74 percent and smacked six of his 13 aces in the final set to prevail in a gritty two hour, 50-minute comeback. Shelton will face world No. 50 Aslan Karatsev in Sunday's final. Karatsev ended the Cinderella run of  20-year-old Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 6-4. 

The 21-year-old Shelton scored his 13th win in his last 15 matches becoming the first man to reach his first ATP final in a 500 level tournament since Lorenzo Musetti did it en route to the Hamburg title last year. 

"It’s a huge achievement for me and my team,” said Shelton, who raised his 2023 record to 25-22. “Especially the way that the match panned out today. Definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve played in my life.

“You know, Marcos was waxing me from the baseline in almost every rally, and I had to completely change my game up to even have a chance to compete against him.

"So to be able to get through that match and not only figure some things out but get a win, and be going into my first ATP final, the win couldn’t be sweeter.”



World No. 79 Giron, who swept Shelton in their lone prior meeting in Delray Beach last February, was two points from the final serving at 7-6, 5-2, 30-all. Shelton refused to yield breaking at 30 to spark a four-game surge that put him up 6-5.

Giron saved three set points fighting back from triple-set point down to hold and force the tiebreaker. Giron was up 4-2 in the breaker when Shelton caught fire and won five of the final six points to take the tiebreaker and force a final set.

In the decider, Shelton broke for 4-3 and saved a break point to serve out a pulsating two hour, 50-minute victory.

Shelton, who rises to No. 17 in the ATP live rankings, he will face Aslan Karatsev for the title on Sunday.

The 2021 Australian Open semifinalist Karatsev cracked six aces against no double faults, won 29 of 34 first-serve points and did not drop serve in a 6-3, 6-4 conquest of Mochizuki.