Frances Tiafoe staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Ben Shelton in a thrilling five-set encounter at the US Open on Friday. This victory avenged Tiafoe’s quarter-final defeat to Shelton at Flushing Meadows last year. Tiafoe won 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-3, earning a spot in the fourth round where he will face either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Australian Alexei Popyrin.
Reflecting on the match, Tiafoe admitted, “Losing last year to him was a tough blow. I struggled for a long time, playing poorly and battling with motivation. It’s been a journey, and having this matchup today was incredible.”
Tiafoe received praise for his return game and net play, which proved crucial in overcoming Shelton. Despite Shelton’s impressive 23 aces, Tiafoe capitalized on 21 break points, converting five of them, including one in each of the final two sets.
Shelton, the 13th seed, acknowledged Tiafoe’s exceptional returning skills, saying, “Today, I think Tiafoe returned my serve better than anyone I’ve seen. There was one serve I hit at 130 mph, and he cracked it down the line—it was one of those days.”
Tiafoe credited his improvement in returning serves to his work with coach David Witt. “That’s made a big difference,” Tiafoe said. “I wish I had served better throughout the match, but I served well when it mattered most. That’s what counts.”
After a grueling four hours and three minutes, Tiafoe sealed his victory and celebrated by spreading his arms to the cheering Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. He then shared a heartfelt embrace with Shelton, marking a sportsmanship moment between the two friends.
With this hard-fought win, Tiafoe looks forward to his next challenge as he continues his pursuit of a deep run at the US Open.
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