With Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton at the helm of American men's tennis, it looks like a bright future awaits
Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton's All-American clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium may well be the most spectacular US Open yet.
These are two of the three Americans who made it to the quarter-finals of the tournament in New York. for the first time since 2005 and are arguably the two most popular players of these two weeks. Whatever happens, it's guaranteed to be a box office success.
This year marks 20 years since Andy Roddick lifted the trophy at the US Open, and while the Williams sisters have led the women's field, American men's tennis has since demanded a champion.
He also desperately needed personalities. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s they were in abundance, with people like John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi making headlines on and off the court. Shelton and Tiafoe could well be the antidote, as two of the most compelling characters are at the top of the game.
The fireworks everyone was talking about on Sunday came from a young Shelton beating his American compatriot to finish 14th. -seeding Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 with a terrible serve.
Shelton, like Tiafoe, oozes charisma and feels at home in the middle of the bustling atmosphere that the crowd creates in Flushing — Meadows. Like his contemporary Alcaraz, he often plays with a smile on his face, but at the same time brings an amazing energy that fans love.
Tiafoe reached the last four at Flushing Meadows last year before losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Photo: USA TODAY Sports/Geoff Burke
«He's just a very loud player,» Tiafoe said of his close friend's on-court behavior and praised his game. “He hits the ball powerfully, serves well, almost 150 people serve today. He's so pumped up. Reaches the network. He has great volleys. He is really athletic. It's interesting to watch him. He says the loudest: “Come on”, from the first point of the match to the last. He is screaming. He's got a lot of energy, so… He's great for this sport. It's nice to see a guy like that play.»
Shelton reached the quarter-finals of the major twice in his first full season on the tour. He made his breakthrough at the Australian Open in January, on his first trip outside the US. Signed this year by Roger Federer's On Running brand, Shelton has been named one of the sport's legends by a deserving star. By repeating his feat in Melbourne at the home tournament in New York, he will rise to at least 27th place in the world.
Not only is he the youngest American since Roddick in 2002 to reach that stage at the US Open, but he does it in style. The 20-year-old hit a pair of 149 mph innings in one game against Paul, edging John Isner's official men's record of 157 mph in 2016. “Just adrenaline. I think my arm might fall off,” Shelton joked after the match.
Ben Shelton just pitched at 149 mph. 🤯
This is the fastest result at the US Open! pic.twitter.com/TtRxzJvwJB
— US Open (@usopen), September 3, 2023
He later said that too many of those innings could have taken too much energy as he lost the third set. But that kind of speed, especially with a 20-year-old racket, is rare, and the acclaim Shelton received from the crowd was well deserved.
In preparation for the battle with Tiafoe, he called his compatriot «big brother». “Frances as a player is electrified. This is the guy who told me he believed in me since my first ATP tournament. Just a great guy off the court. But on the court you have to deal with a nightmare. He does so many things well. One of them is crowd attraction. He's just one of those guys that you have to watch on TV. He has a kind of Carlos Alcaraz effect, especially here in New York. This is his place where he really wants to prove himself. Being able to play against him in the quarter-finals against Arthur Ashe is something special.”
Tiafo, who is in 10th place, is the favorite in this match. He is looking forward to the trophy after losing in the last four against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in 2022 and beating Australian Rinki Hijikata in straight sets on Tuesday to keep him in contention.
He said, that New York is the place where it thrives: “That is why I show my best results at the Open every year. It's such a trial, man. Obviously we'll call it Arthur Ashe, the biggest stadium we have, it's amazing, the New York fans are all drunk. It's just great. The energy is crazy. I think tennis will win in the end. More importantly, an American will come out in the semi-finals.”
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