Taylor Fritz secured a hard-fought victory over Ben Shelton at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, finally breaking his losing streak against Shelton. The match lasted over four hours and included intense tie-breaks in the second and third sets. Fritz expressed relief at avoiding another defeat to Shelton, having lost to him in previous encounters.
Fritz’s win over Shelton involved no breaks of serve, with Fritz hitting 24 aces and saving all four of his service opportunities. Despite Shelton’s 15 aces, he couldn’t force a break-point situation. Fritz managed to capitalize on crucial moments, securing a 6-7(5), 7-6(8), 7-6(3) victory after nearly three hours on the court.
Following this triumph, Fritz is set to face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Zverev, the top seed, continued his winning streak by defeating Raphael Collignon in straight sets. Zverev acknowledged the upcoming challenge against Fritz, emphasizing the improvement in his form since their previous encounters.
