Shelton outlasts top seed Rublev to face Fils in Basel semifinals
Ben Shelton of the U.S. returns a ball to Russia's Andrey Rublev during their quarter final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. Credit: AP/Georgios Kefalas
BASEL, Switzerland — Ben Shelton knocked out top-seeded Andrey Rublev in the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals in his first matchup with the Russian on Friday.
Shelton won 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4, saving the six break points he faced, and converting the only two he forced.
He's reached his fifth semifinal from nine quarters this year.
“I struggled a lot this year in quarterfinals and I've lost a lot of them against top 10 players,” Shelton said. “It's been a tough hump to overcome. To get to the second-to-last week of the year and finally do it is huge for me. Especially with the way I was able to overcome everything Rublev threw at me.”
The American will face one of his best friends on tour, Arthur Fils of France, whom he lost to last month in the Tokyo quarterfinals.
“There is no one I would rather match up against on a Saturday here in Basel,” Shelton said. “I'm looking for some revenge.”
Fils defeated third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (5), 6-3 and improved to 2-0 against the Greek.
Russia's Andrey Rublev returns a ball to Ben Shelton of the U.S. during their quarter final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. Credit: AP/Georgios Kefalas
“I served pretty well,” Fils said. He won 88% of his first serve points and has yet to drop a set.
Also yet to drop a set was fourth-seeded Holger Rune, who defeated lucky loser David Goffin of Belgium 6-2, 6-4.
Rune's semifinal opponent is Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France, who served 27 aces and hit 46 winners but broke Denis Shapovalov of Canada only once.
Mpetshi Perricard won their first matchup 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (3) after keeping Shapovalov in the serve-fest with 37 unforced errors.
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