Defending singles champion Ben Shelton pulls off a double feat in Tokyo | ATP Tour
In Tokyo
Defending singles champion Shelton struggles in Tokyo
The next American faces #NextGen ATP star in singles
September 27, 2024
Kinoshita Group Japan Open
Ben Shelton outlasted Mariano Navone on Friday to reach the quarterfinals in Tokyo.
Written by Krishna Gowda
Ben Shelton can’t stop winning at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships.
Shelton went 7-0 in singles on Friday in Tokyo where he defeated Mariano Navone 6-4, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals, before advancing to the same stage in doubles with Jordan Thompson.
The eighth seed converted three of five break points from Navone as he continued his bid to become the first player to defend the Tokyo title since Pete Sampras in 1993-94.
“I thought Mariano [Navone] he played really well today and made things difficult,” Shelton said in his postgame interview after winning his 35th title of the season. “It was a great match, a different feeling compared to my first round, I feel like I’m getting into form here.
“I thought I did a great job to prepare the situation today, the ball was hitting very low and although this is my seventh singles match in Tokyo, it was the first time I played with the roof closed. There will always be new challenges and climate problems. We are lucky that we have a roof here and we are not always waiting for the weather to be good.”
The 21-year-old Shelton saved three of four break points against him, according to Infosys ATP Stats, as he closed out the match in 86 minutes. Number 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings will next face #NextGen ATP talent Arthur Fils.
The Frenchman advanced after Matteo Berrettini retired due to injury to lead the Lexus ATP Head2Head clash 7-6(5). Fils, 20, upset top seed Taylor Fritz earlier in the week to extend his lead at the top of the PIF ATP Live Race to Jeddah.
Shelton later teamed up with two-time US Open champion and fellow top-30 singles player Thompson, for a second win on Friday. A couple defeated Japanese wild cards Yoshihito Nishioka and Kaito Uesugi 7-6(3), 6-2 to advance to the quarter-finals.
The duo that brings all the fun ⚡️
Shelton 🤝 Thompson@japanopentennis | #kinoshitajapanopen pic.twitter.com/oBpZVoyg6T
– ATP Tour (@atptour) September 27, 2024
Shelton and Thompson converted four of their six break points to set up a quarter-final clash with British pair Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool.
#NextGen ATP talent Alex Michelsen and Alejandro Tabilo also advanced to the doubles draw, battling Luciano Darderi and Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-7. They will next face either Rinky Hijikata and Alexei Popyrin or Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski.
