Ben Shelton beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 6-3 in 1 hour and 40 minutes at the ASB Classic in Auckland to reach his first ATP Tour semifinal since he won his maiden tour-level in Tokyo last year. Shelton also reached the semifinal at the US Open.
Shelton fired seven aces and saved seven of the eight break points he faced. The US player converted three of the seven break points he faced.
Carballes Baena passed Shelton at the net with a forehand down the line winner in the first game. Shelton saved it with an ace.
Shelton earned two break points with a lob winner in the second game and converted his first opportunity with a backhand down the line winner to open up a 2-0 lead.
Carballes Baena earned three break points in the third game and converted his second break-back point to reduce the deficit to 1-2. Shelton squandered game points at 2-2 and faced a break point after a loose volley. The US player saved it with his first serve to hold serve with ace for 3-2.
Shelton faced two break points at 3-3. He saved the first break point with a forehand crosscourt winner and fended off the second chance with a service winner. Carballes Baena held serve at love in the ninth game at 4-5. The Spanish player faced a set point and saved it with a service winner. Shelton converted his second set point after a loose forehand from Carballes Baena after 54 minutes.
Carballes Baena saved two break points to hold serve for 2-2 in the second set. Shelton fended off two break points with winners and hit a drop shot to take a 3-2 lead. Shelton broke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3, as Carballes Baena netted a backhand. Shelton rallied from 15-30 down to serve out on his first match point with two big serves to secure his spot in the semifinal.
Shelton has improved his record to 10-0 against players outside the top 50 since his defeat against Shang Juncheng.
“I definitely had a lot of fun out here today. I am pretty sure everyone else here had a good time too. He is definitely one of the faster players I have played, running down balls, hitting passing shots. He served really well and made it difficult on me today, but I felt like I brought out my best tennis in the big moments and I am happy to be in a semifinal here”, said Shelton.
Shelton set up a semifinal clash against Japan’s Taro Daniel, who beat Alexandre Muller 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 to reach his first semifinal since Belgrade in April 2021.
Daniel saved eight of the ten break points he faced and broke four times. The Japanese player held five service games and broke serve in the third game with a smash winner at the net in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. He held at love with a service winner to close out the first set 6-4.
Daniel earned a double break in the first and third games to race out to a 4-0 lead. Muller pulled one break back in the sixth game and missed three break points in the eighth game. Muller broke back for the second time to draw level to 5-5 setting up a tie-break. Muller claimed the tie-break 7-3 with a return winner after 1 hour and 48 minutes to force the match to the decider. Daniel fended off two break points at 2-2 before breaking serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead.
Daniel saved a break point to hold serve to secure his spot in the semifinal.
Arthur Fils led Daniel Altmeier 7-6 (7-2) 1-0 when the German player withdrew from the match with a lower back issue. Fils has become the first teenager to reach the semifinals in Auckland, since a then-17 Rafael Nadal in 2004.
Both players held their service games with no break points to set up a tie-break. Altmeier held serve after two deuces in the 12th game. Fils earned two mini-breaks to seal the tie-break 7-2. Fils earned an early break and Altmeier decided to retire from the match due to an injury. Fils will face Alejandro Tabilo, who reached the semifinal via a walkover after Cameron Norrie withdrew from the match due to a left wrist injury.
