By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, August 30, 2024
Frances Tiafoe fought off Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 avenging his 2023 quarterfinal loss to roar into the US Open fourth round.
Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/US Open/USTA
NEW YORK—The spirited sound of Arthur Ashe Stadium fans chanting his name echoed in Frances Tiafoe’s ears.
Big Foe brought towering tenacity to create major redemption—and brand his name back into the US Open fourth round.
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In an electric all-American showdown, Tiafoe defused seismic server Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 avenging his 2023 quarterfinal loss to roar into the US Open fourth round for the fifth straight year.
An energized Tiafoe elevated his play over the final two sets stopping Shelton for the first time in three meetings in a match of some superb shotmaking, showmanship and spirited play.
Tiafoe withstood 63 winners from the explosive Shelton, including 23 aces, and made the left-hander work to hold. The man wearing the "Big Foe" necklace converted five of 21 break points against Shelton, who had not dropped serve in two tournament wins. Tiafoe faced just seven break points himself.
When the 20th-seeded Tiafoe blocked a forehand volley winner to end a gripping four hour, three-minute battle, he thrust his arms toward the sky in triumph.
The two young Americans exchanged an embrace at net in a mutual sign of respect that Tiafoe summed up as “four hours of battle.”
“Ben’s an incredible player, man, he’s an incredible player, he really is,” Tiafoe told Christopher Eubanks afterward. “He goes for all kinds of shots. He’s got no care in the world—it’s really annoying…
“He’s really talented. he can come up with great shots and so can I. So it gets to be highlight after highlight. I really hope you guys enjoyed the show. Four hours of battle.”
Tiafoe was carrying two pairs of Nike shoes in his hand as he walked onto Ashe Stadium for this rematch and likely left little tread on the tires after a physical match.
It was a dose of double redemption for Tiafoe, who took the court with a 6-13 career five-set record, including a five-set loss to eventual-champion Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon third round.
Today, Tiafoe showed plenty of poise and powerful staying power—he looked fresher at the finish fighting into a fourth round match against either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin on Sunday.
Though Shelton is a commanding server, Tiafoe broke when the left-hander served for the first and third sets. The barrage of break points Tiafoe earned let Shelton know that every point would be a challenge as the 2023 semifinalist fell to 0-8 vs. Top 20 opponents in 2024.
"It's a tough one. Obviously I thought it was a great match," Shelton said. "I thought I did a lot of really good things throughout the five sets. You know, there's two big opportunities that are kind of replaying in my mind I wish I had back. And other than that, you know, congrats to Foe. Too good.
"I thought once he got that lead in the fifth, he really started to fly. I think I can take some positives from this match, but yeah, definitely a few shots I want back."
This all-American clash before a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium was a rematch of the 2023 quarterfinals. Last September, 20-year-old phenom Shelton stopped Tiafoe 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 to become the youngest American man to reach the US Open semifinals since Michael Chang in 1992.
Shelton has spent time trying to sharpen his return this season. Hitting aggressively to a big target down the middle, Shelton shrank Tiafoe’s response time to score the first break for 3-1.
Though Tiafoe has one of the fastest first steps in the sport, Shelton showed exceptional burst running down a net-cord shot with a re-drop. Tiafoe was called for a net touch by chair umpire James Keothavong as Shelton consolidated for 4-1.
Serving for the set at 5-3, Shelton played a sloppy game failing to find adequate net clearance. Tiafoe torched a backhand return down the line and followed it forward to break back.
It was the first time in 32 service games Shelton surrendered serve.
The momentum was short-lived.
The 20th seed shanked a forehand and netted a backhand gifting Shelton two set points.
A 13-shot rally ended with Tiafoe as Shelton snatched a one-set lead.
Tiafoe turned up the pressure in the seventh game gaining triple break point. Shelton saved all three break points then scalded a 139 mph ace off the center stripe saving a fourth break point. Shelton denied a fifth break point with the slider serve wide then applied the serve-and-volley winner ending a hard-fought hold for 4-3.
Two games later, Shelton betrayed his cause dumping an awful drop shot into the bottom of the net then double-faulting to fall into another triple break point hole. Shelton got away with another drop shot when Tiafoe shoveled a replay long on the second break point. On the third break point, Shelton spun a forehand down the line.
“Way to be smart,” father and coach Bryan Shelton said from the box.
Shelton’s sleeveless On shirt was soaked with sweat sticking to his skin as he found net to face a ninth break point of the set. This time Tiafoe was waiting and clubbed a crosscourt return to break for a 6-5 second-set lead. Tiafoe tore through a love hold to take the second set.
Shelton committed 13 unforced errors—nine more than Tiafoe—and faced nine break points in that second set.
The former all-American at Florida earned a second break point in the sixth game of the third set. A running defensive forehand from Tiafoe coaxed an error to save break point, as the Cincinnati finalist held firm for 3-all.
Two games later, Tiafoe bricked a forehand volley and Shelton slipped a backhand pass down the line for double break point. Shelton didn’t need to swing to break. Tiafoe clanked his third double fault off the tape as the younger American broke for 5-3.
For the second time in three sets, Shelton sputtered trying to serve out the set. Tiafoe tapped a forehand drop shot for break point then Shelton double-faulted off the tape to give back the break in the ninth game.
In a repeat of their 2023 quarterfinal, the pair split the first two sets and played a third-set tiebreaker.
Banging his 13th ace to open the tiebreaker, Shelton smacked a pair of returns down the line streaking out to a 6-0 tiebreaker lead.
Shelton botched a smash then sailed a forehand as Tiafoe saved set points for 3-6. A scrambling Shelton sent a backhand beyond the baseline then missed a forehand as Tiafoe tore through his fifth straight point to get to 5-6.
On set point seven , Shelton rocketed a 143 mph missile down the T—his fastest ace of this tournament—then flashed a biceps flex to his box taking a two sets to one lead. Shelton hit 16 winners to 9 for Tiafoe in the third set edging ahead after two hours, 38 minutes of physical play.
The 26-year-old Tiafoe departed the court for a complete clothing change.
Staring down a break point, Shelton stung a biting body serve to save it. Tiafoe earned a 17th break point only to see Shelton volley it away. Shelton soothed stress holding for 3-all in the fourth set.
Tiafoe tested serve in the 10th game. Shelton sailed a forehand sitter to face double-set point. The lefty lashed a forehand down the line to save the first set point.
On the second set point, Shelton moved up quickly to a low ball and curled a crosscourt forehand to erase it. By then, Shelton saved 16 of the 19 break points he faced. Whacking a wild forehand long, Shelton stared down set point three. When Shelton belted a backhand long, Tiafoe erupted in a loud “Yeah!” to force the final set.
Though Shelton is one of the game’s biggest servers, Tiafoe served with more clarity in the fourth set winning 20 of 26 points played on his serve. Shelton’s 16 unforced errors in the set, including several in the final game, were 11 more than Tiafoe’s total. And Shelton’s final error ensured Tiafoe would serve first in the last set.
Turning his hips and shoulders into a backhand, Shelton set up double break point in the third game. Tiafoe saved both holding for 2-1.
Continuing to test the left-hander’s two-hander, Tiafoe streaked forward for a backhand volley then knocked off a high volley breaking for 3-1.
A fired-up Tiafoe confirmed the break at 15 for 4-1.
Grit and superiority in longer baseline rallies helped Tiafoe find the finish line as he committed 31 fewer unforced errors than Shelton, who scattered 58 errors.
The Rolex courtside clock showed four hours, one minute of play when Tiafoe snapped off a smash for double-match point.
Shelton swatted a forehand winner to save the first match point.
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On his second match point, Tiafoe attacked, blocked a forehand volley to end it then thrust his arms toward the sky in triumph.
Tiafoe broke through for his first win over Shelton. On this day, American tennis was the big winner.
"I think it's really cool to see where American tennis is going. It's not just me and Foe, you know, there's four or five other guys in the mix," Shelton said. "We all are going to have our moments to shine. There is peaks and valleys in this sport, for sure. I just gotta continue to improve.
"I know that this is, even though, you know, maybe I looked happy for him or excited for him after the match, it definitely lit a fire underneath me. I'm not someone who likes to lose; I hate losing.
"Yeah, I'm excited to see where American tennis goes, and I'm going to continue doing my part and go back to the drawing board, you know, look at those things that I did today that I wish I hadn't done and try to get better."