US Open, Shelton vs. Shapovalov: At 2:07 a.m., the American tries to be funny

Ben Shelton advanced to the round of 16 at the US Open after a hard-fought match against Denis Shapovalov, defeating him in four sets with a score of 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4. The match lasted over three hours, during which the American had to contend with a particularly aggressive opponent who was able to hold his own, especially in the first two sets.

Shapovalov confirmed the positive signs he had shown since the start of the tournament. The Canadian, coming off a inconsistent stretch marked by physical issues and mixed results, has regained much of the effectiveness of his offensive tennis. Against Shelton, he frequently sought to take the initiative, managing for long stretches to contain the American’s power.

The first two sets followed a very similar pattern and both ended in tiebreaks. In the first set, Shapovalov was the first to break serve, but Shelton fought back and was more precise in the decisive game, winning 7-3. In the second set, however, the American seemed close to sealing the match when, leading 5-3, he served for a 2-0 lead. Shapovalov fought back, erasing the deficit and this time winning the tiebreak 7-5.

Starting in the third set, Shelton managed to play more consistently. An early break allowed him to control the set without giving up any break points on his serve and to close it out 6-3. In the fourth set as well, Shapovalov lost his serve early and was unable to recover. Shelton held onto his lead until the final 6-4, securing a spot in the round of 16.