2023 AO QF: Tommy Paul (USA) vs Ben Shelton (USA)

[optic yellow]

Shelton FH overall isn't the weapon it needs to be to get the most value out of his serve. At least not when he's tired like the announcers keep saying.

 

[stringertom]

213 km second serve on BP? Large bold cogliones!

 

[Kralingen]

Shelton is obviously done but holding there after 5 deuces, courtesy of a 130mph 2nd serve and two more unreturnables is big time. That serve is special

 

[stringertom]

American tennis in its essence...ZzzZzzZzzz

Paul, with his consistency, actually plays more like the Euro clay grinders. The guy is a metronome so far today.

 

[DD22]

Rubbish game for a GS QF. Dead boring. Young fella serves well but has nothing else, and some costly unforced errors at pivotal moments.

 

[tudwell]

A Paul break of serve feels inevitable, but I like how Shelton has responded with his back against the wall. More slicing, more net approaches, huge second serves. This set so far is probably the most fun of the lot lol.

 

[optic yellow]

Rubbish game for a GS QF. Dead boring. Young fella serves well but has nothing else, and some costly unforced errors at pivotal moments.

Idk that one short angled BH winner was pretty special.

 

[bluetrain4]

Rubbish game for a GS QF. Dead boring. Young fella serves well but has nothing else, and some costly unforced errors at pivotal moments.

Why watch then?

 

[DD22]

Why watch then?

Because it’s our home GS and it’s on while I prepare dinner. Some tennis is better than no tennis.

 

[optic yellow]

He needs to study Nadal's FH more.

 

[jm1980]

Brutal way to break yourself

 

[optic yellow]

Brutal way to break yourself

I winced.

 

[chjtennis]

Shelton is playing like an ordinary 19 yo. Being in a slam QF is not an easy situation and despite all the promising signs, it's obvious he is still a raw material.

 

[jm1980]

Shelton's return is a big weakness, at least in this stage of his career

 

[jm1980]

Of course Paul returns the favor with 4 UE from 30-0 up

 

[bluetrain4]

Lord. I think Paul still has the upper hand obviously, but Ben will now get back in this mentally when he seemed pretty checked out.

 

[stringertom]

Big Ben says, “Not so fast, Mrs.Paul’s son!” Breaks from 30-0 down. 4-4.

Goes in the hole 0-30 in response to his good fortune.

 

[McGradey]

Shelton must be exhausted because he only gave a muted fist bump just then after breaking for the first time in the match — if that’d been during the Popyrin match it would’ve been a COME ON or YEAH bellowed at full noise.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Shelton is playing like an ordinary 19 yo.

Rune and Alcaraz are 19. Ben is 20.

 

[time_fly]

Paul’s level is finally dropping a little.

 

[lrdrdy]

Tommy Paul is so cool. Just a cool customer. Real chill dude. I like him.

 

[bluetrain4]

Enough with the bird costume people.

 

[Q452]

Rune and Alcaraz are 19. Ben is 20.

And it’s his first time playing outsideof the US, not to mention a slam QF

 

[junior74]

Enough with the bird costume people.

 

[junior74]

Paul at his best when it mattered

oops, and then... Shelton steels the set

Both these look some levels below Djokovic, "should just forfeit"

 

[McGradey]

Great rally, Shelton did well there — clearly raised his game a bit now. Paul is a ball machine today though, a nightmare opponent for a kid who likes short points.

 

[Kralingen]

Wow, out of nowhere Shelton gets a SP

so maybe this will be interesting afterall?

 

[jm1980]

Paul got so incredibly tight with the finish line in sight

 

[El_Yotamo]

Holy sh*t, that was some turnaround in that set

Who wants a fifth?

 

[insideguy]

Shelton dug deep. People thinking this kid won't do well are high. If Ranoic could be a top 5 player this dude can.

 

[stringertom]

Spit that Listerine out, heavy set soprano lady! This is going four…at least. The Paul jalopy is leaking oil and Ben has found a second gear.

 

[jm1980]

Sloppy

 

[bluetrain4]

Rollercoaster

 

[chrischris]

Ben looks tired despite somehow taking the 3rd.
5setters taking their toll now.

 

[NeutralFan]

Shelton to win in 5 and then retire due to fatigue in Semi.

 

[optic yellow]

You can tell he just is tired actually. That deep floating defensive shot to buy time to breathe was a really mature defensive move even though it wasn't enough to win him the point. I definitely think there is enough there to think him making it deep into Slams like this could be a frequent occurence.

 

[bluetrain4]

Ben looks tired despite somehow taking the 3rd.
5setters taking their toll now.

Seems very tired. Tommy really lagged at the end of the second, but Ben took full advantage. Even if Ben loses - lesson learned. I know he knows it already, but it's important to see in real time on the ATP tour that even if things look grim, stay plugging and a few gifts along with a few timely shots of your own can bring you back from the brink.

 

[stringertom]

You couldn’t pick a worse time to get sloppy. Ben served with new balls to open the set and gets broken.

I wonder if he has gotten used to the racquet changes with the new balls, something he probably didn’t do with regularity at Challenger level.

 

[insideguy]

Its hard to tell sometimes because young Shelton isnt a good returner yet, but Paul seems to be serving very well himself.

 

[Cortana]

It‘s just about who is going to lose in the SF.

 

[bluetrain4]

Good mental effort by Paul too - to not go into a funk after dropping the third.

 

[bluetrain4]

Its hard to tell sometimes because you Shelton isnt a good returner yet, but Paul seems to be serving very well himself.

He's served exceptionally well for most of the match.

 

[chrischris]

Ben has all the shots.
What he now has to do is work his stamina, lungs and legs to be able to use the talent he has for 5 sets in the future.

 

[optic yellow]

It‘s just about who is going to lose in the SF.

Yeah but that is important. Who would the Nole faithful rather see their hero vanquish on his way to the final where he will reclaim what was stolen from him?

 

[bluetrain4]

Ben has all the shots.
What he now has to do is work his stamina, lungs and legs to be able to use the talent he has for 5 sets in the future.

Backhand return is the only shot he seems to not have - relatively. It's an exploitable relative weakness. I'm sure it will improve as he starts to play ATP level consistently.

 

[stringertom]

Shelton must be exhausted because he only gave a muted fist bump just then after breaking for the first time in the match — if that’d been during the Popyrin match it would’ve been a COME ON or YEAH bellowed at full noise.

That match had a DC atmosphere to it from the days when DC was played in front of hostile crowds. He had to get himself up to drown out the Oz crazies in the stand. The Wolf match vs a fellow American, just like today, didn’t have the exuberance level up there.

 

[chrischris]

Backhand return is the only shot he seems to not have - relatively. It's an exploitable relative weakness. I'm sure it will improve as he starts to play ATP level consistently.

True.
He reminds me slightly of Rafa when Rafa was 17. Bigger serve for sure similar forehand and weaker backhand and not as strong as Rafa was already then but intense and a tough fighter.
Gotta work on that physical side...

 

[insideguy]

Man Ben unloaded on those last couple of points.

 

[junior74]

It‘s just about who is going to lose in the SF.

Paul is basically a weaker DeMinaur.

Dream opponent for Djokovic in a slam SF.

 

[insideguy]

Paul is basically a weaker DeMinaur.

Dream opponent for Djokovic in a slam SF.

If you were to pick the absolute hardest opponent right now for Novak who would that be here?