NEW YORK — Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe are headed for another all-American blockbuster at the U.S. Open.
Shelton, a 21-year-old Atlanta native, and Tiafoe, a 26-year-old Maryland native, will square off for the second consecutive year, this time in the third round Friday in a match likely to be showcased in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Both Americans are former U.S. Open semifinalists, with Shelton last year becoming the youngest U.S. Open semifinalist since Michael Chang in 1992, and Tiafoe reaching the final four in 2022.
No. 13-seed Shelton did his part to make the match happen with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over veteran Roberto Bautista Agut in the Grandstand court on day when temperatures reached the mid-90s, and Shelton wore an ice towel during changeovers.
No. 20 Tiafoe advanced earlier when his opponent Alexander Shevchenko retired down 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to,” Shelton said of the Tiafoe match on court. “I’m sure it will be a popcorn match, so I’m sure you guys are looking forward to it.”
Shelton is 2-0 against Tiafoe, including a four-set win as an unseeded player in the U.S. Open quarterfinals a year ago and a three-set victory on clay in the finals of Houston in April.
Asked the toughest part of Shelton’s game, Tiafoe said: “I mean, obviously his serve. He’s got one of the better serves on the tour, no question. Especially a lefty, he hits all the spots, changes pace quite well. It’s going to be tough but I’m super excited.”
Though it will be a big-time match for American tennis and for television, John McEnroe said it’s unfortunate the showdown is happening so early in the tournament.
“That’s a drag for both of them,” the seven-time Grand Slam winner said on ESPN. “Then in the round of 16 for both of them, it’s (Novak) Djokovic. Ouch.”
Djokovic, who is seeking a record 25th major title, likely will await Friday’s winner.
At 36, Bautista Agut is just a year younger than Djokovic. He reached the semis of Wimbledon in 2019 and twice reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open.
He is ranked No. 67 in the world and reached a career-high No. 9.
But Shelton’s serve and ground game were too much for the veteran.
“I served well and hit my forehand extremely well, and I was clutch in the big moments,” Shelton said. “I’m happy where my game is at going into the next round of the U.S. Open. I love playing in front of you guys.”
In the first set, Shelton broke for a 5-3 lead with a crosscourt forehand and then shouted “Let’s go” to the sun-baked crowd. Shelton then sealed the first set on his serve with a forehand winner.
Serving at 2-3 in the second set, Shelton fended off a break point with a 133-mph service winner before cracking another forehand winner on game point.
He then broke Bautista Agut at love for a 4-3 lead when the Spaniard double-faulted on break point.
Shelton had a set point on the Spaniard’s serve at 3-5 but wasn’t able to convert. No worries.
He closed out the second set with a serve-and-volley winner to get to set point and then hit a brilliant crosscourt forehand passing shot when the Spaniard approached the net on set point. Shelton credited his father, former tour pro Bryan Shelton, who played at Georgia Tech and later coached the Yellow Jackets’ women’s team, with encouraging him to serve and volley on key points.
“My dad played the ‘80s and ‘90s, he was serve and volleying first serve and second serve every point, but the courts were much faster back then,” Shelton said. “So he served and volleyed first serve, second serve every point. If I’m not mixing in serve and volley, he’s kind of asking why I’m not mixing it in.”
With Bautista-Agut serving at 4-4, 30-40 in the third set, Shelton again ran around his forehand to smack a crosscourt winner on break point that fired up the crowd.
Shelton then closed it out on his serve with a 118-mph ace as the crowd applauded.
No American man has won a major title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open, and Shelton is among the Americans bidding to end that streak. Five American men are ranked inside the top 20 for the first time since 1996.
“I think this is definitely the one that we can win,” Tiafoe said. “We just haven’t done it yet. We have five guys in top 20, all guys are dangerous, all guys are capable.
“It’s kind of a why-not thing.”
