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Key Points

Ben Shelton fought past Pierre-Hugues Herbert to inch closer to a Top 10 debut. Taylor Fritz also secured a gritty win against Quentin Halys, recalling his 2016 showdown with Federer. Shelton could break into the elite rankings if he outperforms Medvedev this week. Both Americans now prepare for their Stuttgart Open quarterfinal matches.

Key Points: Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz Advance at Stuttgart Open

  • Shelton saves all break points in tight win over Herbert
  • Fritz starts strong to defeat Halys
  • Shelton eyes Top 10 debut if he outperforms Medvedev
  • Fritz recalls 2016 Stuttgart clash with Federer
2 min read

Stuttgart Open: Shelton kick-starts Top 10 mission with hard-fought victory, Fritz wins

Shelton edges Herbert to reach Top 10 while Fritz battles past Halys in Stuttgart Open quarterfinal push.

"I still remember that match with Roger so perfectly, even though it was long ago. – Taylor Fritz"

Stuttgart, June 11

American Ben Shelton on Wednesday made a confident start to his campaign at the grass-court ATP 250 Stuttgart Open here with a 7-6(4), 7-5 win over the resilient Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Shelton crucially saved all four break points he faced in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before converting his first break point of the set in the 11th game to lead 6-5. The American then served out the match to set a quarter-final meeting with Jiri Lehecka.

With his one-hour, 50-minute win, Shelton jumped two spots to No. 10 in the ATP Live Rankings. The 22-year-old lefty is guaranteed to break the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings for the first time next Monday should he perform better in Stuttgart than Daniil Medvedev does at this week’s Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch.

His next opponent, eighth seed Lehecka, began his campaign with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph against home favourite Jan-Lennard Struff.

Shelton’s countryman Taylor Fritz set up a hard-earned win with a fast start to book his quarterfinal spot in Germany. The second seed notched the only break of his match against Quentin Halys before prevailing 6-3, 7-6(6).

“I think just coming out and first game, he served, and I played a really good game to get a break,” reflected Fritz. “Outside of that, nothing really changed the rest of the match. He served really well, I served well, and we both took good care of our serves. It was big for me to save two break points in the second (set)."

With his win, Fritz improved to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Halys after he also beat the Frenchman on clay in Geneva last month. The World No. 7 is competing for the fourth time in Stuttgart, where he pushed Roger Federer to three sets on his event debut in 2016.

“Everyone keeps reminding me I played here in 2016. That was 10 years ago, so it keeps making me feel old,” joked the American. “Obviously, it’s been a long time, and I’ve improved a lot. I still remember that match with Roger so perfectly, even though it was long ago. I’m happy to be back.”

Fritz will take on Marton Fucsovics, who booked his last-eight spot on Wednesday. The Hungarian qualifier overcame Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(4), 6-3 to reach his fourth quarter-final in seven Stuttgart appearances.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Shelton is really making waves this season! His left-handed game is so exciting to watch. Hope he can break into top 10 - would be great for tennis to have fresh faces at the top. 🇮🇳 Indian fans are noticing these young talents!
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Priya M.
While it's good to see new players emerging, I wish Indian players were getting similar results in ATP tournaments. Our players need more support to compete at this level. Still, Shelton's performance was clinical today!
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Arjun S.
Fritz joking about feeling old at 26 shows how young tennis players peak these days 😂 Interesting to see him back in Stuttgart after 8 years. That Federer match must have been special - no wonder he remembers it so well!
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Shreya N.
Grass court season is always exciting! Shelton's serve stats are impressive - saving all break points shows mental toughness. Hope he can go deep in the tournament. Would love to see him play against one of the big names soon 🤞
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Vikram J.
The American tennis pipeline keeps producing quality players. First Fritz, now Shelton. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for our next Somdev or Paes. Maybe Nagal can break through this year? The gap is concerning for Indian tennis fans.
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Neha R.
Enjoying these smaller tournaments before Wimbledon! The grass court transition is always tricky. Shelton adapting so well shows his versatility. Also nice to see Fritz being nostalgic about his early career - makes players more relatable 💯

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