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Tokyo
Defending singles champion Shelton pulls double responsibility in Tokyo
American subsequent faces #NextGen ATP star Fils in singles
September 27, 2024
Kinoshita Group Japan Open
Ben Shelton eases previous Mariano Navone on Friday to succeed in the quarter-finals in Tokyo.
By Krishna Gowda
Ben Shelton cannot cease profitable on the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships.
Shelton moved to 7-0 in singles on Friday in Tokyo the place he overcame Mariano Navone 6-4, 6-3 to succeed in the quarter-finals, earlier than advancing to the identical stage in doubles alongside Jordan Thompson.
The eighth seed transformed three of the 5 break factors he earned in opposition to Navone as he continued his bid to be the primary participant to defend the Tokyo title since Pete Sampras in 1993-94.
“I assumed Mariano [Navone] was taking part in very well right this moment and made issues troublesome,” Shelton mentioned in his post-match interview after clinching his thirty fifth win of the season. “It was a terrific match, a special really feel in comparison with my first spherical, I really feel like I’m actually coming into kind right here.
“I assumed I did a terrific job adjusting right this moment, the ball was bouncing a lot decrease and though that is my seventh singles match in Tokyo, it was the primary time I performed with the roof closed. There’s at all times going to be new challenges and climate points. We’re fortunate we’ve got a roof right here and we’re not sitting round ready for the climate to clear up.”
The 21-year-old Shelton saved three of 4 break factors in opposition to him, in line with Infosys ATP Stats, as he closed out the match in 86 minutes. The No. 17 within the PIF ATP Rankings subsequent faces #NextGen ATP expertise Arthur Fils.
The Frenchman progressed after Matteo Berrettini retired resulting from harm when main the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head conflict 7-6(5). The 20-year-old Fils upset high seed Taylor Fritz earlier within the week to increase his lead on the high of the PIF ATP Dwell Race to Jeddah.
Shelton later teamed with US Open doubles champion and fellow Prime 30 singles star Thompson, to seal a second success Friday. The pair defeated Japanese wild card duo Yoshihito Nishioka and Kaito Uesugi 7-6(3), 6-2 to make the quarter-finals.
A duo bringing all of the enjoyable ⚡️
Shelton 🤝 Thompson@japanopentennis | #kinoshitajapanopen pic.twitter.com/oBpZVoyg6T
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 27, 2024
Shelton and Thompson transformed 4 of their six break factors to arrange a quarter-final conflict with British pair Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
#NextGen ATP expertise Alex Michelsen and Alejandro Tabilo additionally progressed within the doubles draw, battling previous Luciano Darderi and Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-7. They are going to subsequent face Rinky Hijikata and Alexei Popyrin or Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski.
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