Toronto, Aug 6 (IANS) Taylor Fritz edged 2024 finalist Andrey Rublev, while Ben Shelton moved past Alex de Minaur to set up an all-American semifinal at the Canadian Open.
Fritz was narrowly denied another serving shutout to claim a 6-3, 7-6(4) win. Holding match point at 5-4 in the second set after a serving masterclass, Fritz seemed destined to claim his 42nd consecutive hold before an against-the-script lapse that saw Rublev convert his fourth break point of the game to level the match and soon after force a tie-break. But with the confidence of having won 18 of his previous 21 matches, Fritz wrapped up the win, ATP reports.
Fritz, who becomes the third player this season to reach 20 hard-court wins, according to the ATP Win/Loss index, will play countryman Ben Shelton in the semifinals.
Shelton has moved inside the cut for the ATP Finals after snapping Alex de Minaur’s seven-match winning streak in the quarterfinals with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win. Victory over 2023 Toronto finalist De Minaur lifted Shelton two spots to seventh in the ATP Live Race to Turin as he looks to make his debut at the season finale from in Italy.
Shelton, 22, who also became the youngest American Masters 1000 semi-finalist since Andy Roddick 20 years ago in Indian Wells, will improve his career-high PIF ATP Ranking from No. 7 to No. 6 – leapfrogging Novak Djokovic – should he win the title.
Shelton, who served 13 aces in the 91-minute win, will now look for his first win over second seed Fritz in a rare all-American Masters 1000 semi-final (just the fourth since 2000). Fritz won their lone ATP head-to-head meeting in Indian Wells in 2023.
Shelton, who served 13 aces in the 91-minute win, will now look for his first win over second seed Fritz in a rare all-American Masters 1000 semi-final (just the fourth since 2000).
–IANS
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