By Anshu Taneja
Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul both won their third-round encounters in four sets and now face off for the second time in a Grand Slam this year, after their quarter final clash in Australia.
Shelton has had an amazing start to his pro-career and is already top 50 within a year of being on the ATP Tour. The big hitting 20-year-old came through 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 against Russian Aslan Karatsev – and not only set a personal best of 26 aces in a match, but also the fastest serve of the men’s tournament so far: a 147mph bullet in the third set.
Left handed Shelton used his massive serve to great effect and won a staggering 86% of points on first serve, as well as 38 winners and just 15 errors. He conjured up ten breakpoints and converted six, and rode the wave of support on Grandstand to reach the fourth round for the first time at Flushing Meadows.
Paul had earlier delighted the home crowd by also reaching the fourth round for the first time with a 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The 26-year-old American, who beat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in Toronto last month, had a blistering start and won the first two sets dropping just one game with a superb display of attacking tennis. While Fokina battled back to take the third set, Paul readjusted and won the fourth by the same scoreline.
Fourteenth seed Paul, who has been working extremely hard on his volleying and transition game, hit fourteen aces and won a massive 81% of points behind his first serve as well as 13/18 net points, and closed out the contest in two hours and nineteen minutes and is now close to making his top 10 debut.
Paul, who came through a tough five setter in the previous round against Roman Safiullin, had a far easier time today and converted six of his eight breakpoints – and capped off his brilliant display with a stunning 39 winners.
Ahead of his clash with Shelton, Paul admitted he is expecting an energetic affair against his compatriot, “There’s a lot of energy with the fans,” Paul told the US Open website.
“Everybody is excited about American tennis. Well, for one thing I am winning a few more matches now.”
However, time on court may be a telling factor in the all-American clash scheduled for Saturday with Paul almost clocking eight hours and Shelton spending around two and half hours less.
