main events
Shilton breaks serve in the second half of the third set!
The third set: Tiafoe 2-6, 6-3, 1-1 Shelton* (* indicates the next server)
Just when it looked as if the momentum had changed permanently, Shilton scored a quick three points on Tiafoe’s serve to earn a triple break point. Tiafoe saved the first serve with a well-placed second serve that Shilton could not counter, but Shilton ripped a forehand winner on the next point to immediately break back.
Tiafoe breaks serve in the first match of the third set!
The third set: *Tiafoe 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 Shelton (* indicates the next server)
Chilton disappeared into the tunnel to take a bathroom break and change outfit. He’s allotted five minutes, and an eager Tiafoe complains lightly to the chair referee as the clock ticks towards zero. Shilton looks a bit tight on his serve when he finally pops up to open up the third serve, dropping first serve while trailing Love 15 and then 15-30. He made it 40-30, but followed it up with 16, 17 and 18 unforced errors in the match due to the sudden break! how tight? That match saw Shelton hit just three of his eight first serves and clocked speeds of 113 mph, 102 mph and 112 mph.
Tiafoe wins the second set 6-3!
The second set: Tiafoe 2-6, 6-3 Shelton
And Tiafoe slams the door shut, crowning his tension-free fist with a smashing 120-mile-per-hour slam down the middle. Everything is squared after two sets with the best of three sets to decide who advances to the semi-finals.
The second set: *Tiafoe 2-6, 5-3 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Rushing for the easy catch, Shilton only momentarily stumbles with his fifth double fault of the game. Tiafoe will now move to the line to serve for the second set.
The second set: Tiafoe 2-6, 5-2 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
Tiafoe made two more unforced errors, leaving him trailing 15-30 and in danger of re-serving the break. Then Chilton curled the winner into the corner for a 15-40 and a double break point. Tiafoe erases the first with a backhand at the net, then the second when Shilton misses a forehand. deuce. From there Tiafoe wins a couple of quick points to back up the break. He is one game away from drawing this match by one set each.
Tiafoe breaks serve in the sixth game of the first set!
The second set: *Tiafoe 2-6, 4-2 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Shilton double faults, then misses a lift to land Love 30 on serve. The crowd swells between points to support Tiafoe, who has yet to get a chance to break a point tonight. And after winning the next love-30 point, Tiafoe now has three of them. Shilton saved the first with a great backhand, but Tiafoe drew the line with a forehand kick on the next point to seal the break and take control early in the second set!
The second set: Tiafoe 2-6, 3-2 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
More pressure on Tiafoe’s serve at 30 – all thanks to his 14 and 15 unforced errors. But he wins two quick points behind a powerful first serve to slip out of control. On service in a second.
Set B: *Tiafoe 2-6, 2-2 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Chilton, called on his serve, stays in love for the first time all night, wins the forehand, 114mph wide, 115mph non-returnable, and 138mph serve winner. He’s won 14 of his last 16 runs at bat.
The second set: Tiafoe 2-6, 2-1 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
Tiafoe is under serve pressure again, at 15 points, then 30 points. That’s when Shilton fired an acutely angled ball into the net to take another look at the break spot. Huge moment here. And Tiafoe saved it with a wonderful backhand kick on the ninth shot of the career. His best shot of the night. From there Tiafoe hits another backhand winner and second serve at 94mph and Chilton can’t get back on the court to escape being caught.
The second set: *Tiafoe 2-6, 1-1 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Shilton’s tense-free holding, including serve winners at 124mph to the body and 129mph in the middle to cover the ball, the youngster’s serve is really clicking now.
Set B: Tiafoe 2-6, 1-0 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
A good start to the second set for Tiafoe, who scored four quick points on his debut evening.
Shilton wins the first set 6-2!
The first group: Tiafoe 2-6 Shelton
Shilton cruises across the finish line of the opening set, punctuating a comfortable hold with a 110mph second serve down the middle and a 127mph serve winner wide. A great start for Shilton, who won 10 of 13 first serve points and never faced a break point.
Shelton breaks serve in the seventh game of the first set!
Set 1: *Tiafoy 2-5 Shelton (*points to next server)
After trading points for 15, Tiafoe and Shelton go head to head during a 24-shot exchange, which Shelton takes with a brilliant backhand winner. Tiafoe won the next point for 30, but then double-faulted for the third time of the night to fall back to breaking point. And Shilton converted it with a stinging backhand kick in the beginning of a career that Tiafoe could not handle! Shilton had two periods to the advantage in this opening set and will be looking to serve after changing sides.
The first set: *Tiafoy 2-4 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Shelton double-faulted, won a few quick points, and then double-faulted again for 30 points. pressure? what pressure? The unranked American pound back-to-back aces at 107 mph and 138 mph, both on Broadway, to enhance the break with style.
Shilton breaks serve in the fifth game of the first set!
1st set: Tiafoe 2-3 Shelton* (* denotes the next server)
Shilton put more pressure on Tiafoe’s serve, who fell by 15, 15-30, 30-40 for his second break point of the match. Tiafoe wipes it out with a 120-mph send that Shelton can’t handle. deuce. Tiafoe then broke serve at 134 mph but missed a low shot early in the career to give Shilton another look at the break. Tiafoe erased that too with another booming serve, but another careless forehand error gave Shilton another break point – his third of the match and fourth of the match. This time, Tiafoe took advantage of a forehand kick to commit his tenth unforced error of the match. First blood for the 20-year-old, who explodes towards his chest. He shot!
The first set: *Tiafoe 2-2 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Shilton won 3 quick points, including his first serve of the night, for 40-15. But he follows up with an unintentional forehand error, then watches Tiafoe hit the winning forehand to equalise. First pressure point of the night for a 20-year-old. And he responds in style: winning 13 shots with a forehand winner, then smashing serve at 139mph wide enough that Tiafoe can’t bring him back onto the court.
Set A: Tiafoe 2-1 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
Tiafoe’s sharper serve game. Shilton seems to have a hard time reading his opponent’s serve early on. Did we mention it’s uncomfortably hot on Ash? Temperatures 84 F (23 C) and humidity 63%.
Set A: *Tiafoe 1-1 Shelton (*pointing to the next server)
Shilton strolls during his opening serve. No sign of nerves from the heavy blows.
Set A: Tiafoe 1-0 Shelton* (*pointing to the next server)
An uncomfortable start for Tiafoe on serve. Shilton hits a winning backhand (interspersed with a “Come on!”) on the first point of the game, then Tiafoe follows it up with a love-30 double-fault. Tiafoe works his way out of trouble three quick points behind a buoyant first serve, but then double-faults for the second time for the equalizer. Tiafoe seals a 13-shot rally with a forehand winner, but Shelton follows it up with a well-executed backhand for a tie for number two. Tiafoe then commits an unintentional forehand error and will face his first break point of the match, but he erases it with a 133mph ace. Satan again. From there Tiafoe wins the cat-and-mouse point with a backhand shot before closing the ball with a smashing 131mph. A tense opening match for the No. 10 seed but the desired outcome.
introduction
Hello, and welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium for tonight’s quarter-final clash between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. It is the first time in history that two black American men have reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam and one of them guarantees passage to the semi-finals of the US Open and a date with 23-time major champion Novak Djokovic (who beat Taylor Fritz earlier today) .
The 20-year-old Shelton, the 2022 NCAA singles champion from the University of Florida, has been the surprise of the tennis season, most certainly on the US front. Playing his second quarter-final of the year in only the fifth main draw appearance of his career, Shilton has become the youngest man to reach a quarter-final at the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2002 – and is looking to become the youngest semi-finalist. – He’s been to the finals at Flushing Meadows since Michael Chang in 1992. Armed with his explosive serve, he’s hit 62 aces in four matches so far, including a pair of 149mph rockets in one match during a fourth-round win on Sunday on Tommy Pool. This is the fastest bids for this event.
Tiafoe, the 25-year-old Maryland native whose exceptional background has been well documented in tennis circles for years, dropped just one set en route to his third career quarter-final, winning 83% of his first serve points and crushing 45 aces. Just seven double faults. His headline-grabbing run to the semi-finals of last year’s US Open remains his best performance at a Grand Slam, and he’s keen to go at least one step further this time around.
Karolina Muchova just beat Sorana Cristea 6-0 6-3 to reach the women’s semi-finals in the first match of tonight’s session, which means Tiafoe and Shelton should be on the court warming up shortly.
Brian will be here soon. Here’s a look at today’s first men’s quarter-final as Novak Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz in three sets.