It turned out to be a Friday matinee hit, even though it deserved to be on primetime. In front of a crowded Arthur Ashe Stadium, local guys Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe engaged in a brutal five-set third-round encounter at the US Open on Friday, August 30. After a four-hour and three-minute slugfest, Tiafoe, the 20th seed, emerged victorious. After the intense match, Tiafoe and Shelton took a minute to embrace at the net, showing that there was nothing but respect between them.
Big Foe. Big Ben. Big Friends. 🫂 pic.twitter.com/FrPYjXwlEE
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2024
Tiafoe’s Grit and Determination Shine in Comeback
After trailing his big-serving American opponent 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, Frances Tiafoe rallied to win and advance to the fourth round, where he will most likely play the defending champion, Novak Djokovic. With his victory, Tiafoe exacted a major revenge on Shelton, who had beaten him in the US Open quarterfinals the previous year. As the two players competed fiercely, the stadium’s energy was tangible. Both players displayed remarkable athleticism and shot selection.
“Ben is a fantastic player. He is a fantastic player. He is. He attempts a variety of shots. He is completely careless. In an on-court interview, Tiafoe succinctly expressed his feelings, saying, “It’s annoying.” “He serves well. Here, he has shown immense mercy. He is incredibly gifted. He makes some really good shots. I can also do it. It presents highlight after highlight. I sincerely hope you all had fun at the show. It was combat,” he continued.
Shelton’s Serve and Athleticism Push Tiafoe to Limit
Tiafoe managed to carve out 21 break points, converting five to seize control of the match despite Shelton’s tremendous serve, which included 23 aces. The fifth set proved to be pivotal, as Tiafoe recorded the lone break of serve to grab a commanding 3-1 lead. This change in momentum finally sealed Shelton’s demise, as Tiafoe went on to win both the set and the match. Throughout his performance, Tiafoe took a tenacious approach to the net and executed precise volleys, winning 35 of 48 points when he advanced. His more relaxed day on the serve and his ability to deflect Shelton’s strong groundstrokes to his advantage also made a big difference in his win.
Tiafoe’s tenacity and resolve were evident. He recovered to secure the sole break of the set in the second set after missing break points in back-to-back return games. Similar to this, Tiafoe recovered some of the momentum after Shelton grabbed a 6/0 lead in the third set tie-break by scoring five points in a row. Tiafoe’s passion for the US Open persisted. He made it to the semifinals in 2022, which was his best Grand Slam showing to that point. He is still on course to make it to the quarterfinals for the third straight year after defeating Shelton.
DIMITROV AND FRITZ GO TO THE ROUND OF 16
In comparison to Frances Tiafoe, American 12th seed Taylor Fritz did not have to work as hard to win in the third round. He comfortably defeated Franciso Comesana of Argentina, winning 6-3 6-4 6-2 to go to the fourth round.
Grigor Dimitrov, the former World No. 3 seed, proceeded to win the US Open with complete ease, making it to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2019. The Bulgarian is still without a set. He defeated Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor with ease, 6-3 6-3 6-1, securing a meeting with Russian Andrey Rublev in the fourth round.