By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, October 10, 2024
Shanghai’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks reveals command world consideration.
Look for explosive shotmakers Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton to gentle it up once they collide in an all-American Shanghai quarterfinal.
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“It’s going to be exciting for everyone, not only for me, I’m sure the fans are going to love it,” Korda mentioned after defusing harmful Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 7-6(6). “Hopefully, the best player wins on the day.”
The left-handed Shelton slammed 15 aces—and banged brutal physique serves—stinging world No. 4 Jannik Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) to snap the Beijing champion’s seven-match profitable streak on the Rolex Shanghai Masters right now.
The largest win of Shelton’s profession earned him a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung to him by Shanghai followers—and a first-time conflict vs. Korda with a semifinal spot on the road.
The first of what could be many future clashes between the pair leaves each males pumped for this Shanghai showdown.
“I’m really excited whenever Americans are going deep in the draw, it’s something really cool for me to see, so one of us will be in the semifinals here in Shanghai, which is awesome,” Shelton mentioned. “But, yeah, looking forward to it. Sebe’s a great guy and playing really, really good form. He beat the No. 2 player in the world, No. 3 player in the world, Medvedev, and arguably one of the best hard court seasons on tour. I think that shows how well Sebe’s playing and, yeah, I’m really looking forward to a battle.”
Both Shelton and Korda are the sons of former ATP professionals and each have summoned a few of their most dynamic tennis on the game’s largest phases.
n a daring all-court efficiency final January, Korda broke Daniil Medvedev in his opening service sport of every set, sending the 2022 Australian Open finalist packing in an outstanding 7-6(7), 6-3, 7-6(4) Australian Open triumph. The Twenty sixth-seeded Korda beat Medvedev once more within the Shanghai third spherical for his first profession Top 5 win and a second profession Masters 1000 quarterfinal look.
The 21-year-old Shelton, who had by no means been exterior of the United States previous to touring to Australia for the 2023 Australian Open final January, powered to the AO quarterfinals and knocked off two Top-15 ranked compatriots—Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe—en path to the US Open semifinals final month.
Now, each Korda and Shelton are taking part in for Masters 1000 semifinal in Shanghai.
“Maybe I’m addicted to playing on the big stages,” Shelton mentioned after toppling the sixth-seeded Sinner. “I definitely haven’t had a normal upbringing in the tennis world.
“First 12 months on Tour it’s form of been somewhat backwards figuring issues out as we go. I’m simply going to attempt to hold constructing and bettering each week.”
Shanghai has been a Masters launching pad for American males this week as each Tommy Paul and JJ Wolf are nonetheless alive and will face off in an all-American quarterfinal if Wolf beats Ugo Humbert and Paul defeats Andrey Rublev on Wednesday.
Photo credit score: Fred Lee/Getty
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