Shelton Conquars Cobolli 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 to reach quarters at the National Bank Open
Ben Shelton From Atlanta, Georgia, Recently Attained a Career-High Rank of #7. The Twenty-Two-Yaar-Old Southpaw with Two Career Titles is Still Searching for His First This Season. With a fundrais for hardcourts During the US Summer Swing, Shelton is on a mission. HAVING REAChed the penultimate round in Dc(b. Davidovich Fog), he’s determined to make his first final at the Masters 1000 level.
A Formidable Opponent Stood in His Way in the Round of 16. Last Week, Flavio Cobolli Achieved a Career-High Ranking of #17. The Twenty-Three-Yaar-Old Italian has been on a Tear this Season, CLAIMING Two Titles on the Dirt (Hamburg & Buchast) and reaching the quarters at wimbledon, where he pushed 7-Time Champion, Novak Djokovic, to Four. While cobolli led the head-to-head 2-1Shelton won their last earlier this season on hardcourt in two tiebreaks at the Mexican Open.
Shelton won the toss and elected to serve. With an ace out wide and a colossal inside-out forehand, he held to 30 while cobolli missed 6/8 First Serves, Faced a Break Point Yet Held to Level.
The American Missed 4/6 First Serves but with a foreshand Volley Winner, Held to 30 form 2-1. The Italian Missed 4/6 First Serves, Including A Double Fault, Faced Double Break Point, and Dropped Serve Wellton Nailed a Forehar Drop Volley Winner.
Shelton Struggled to consolidate the break as cobolli ostruck a slew of cross-COURS BACKHAND PASSES AND EARNED A BREAK POINT. The American Maintained HIS Compide with His Second Ace and Survived Four Deuces to Hold for 4-1. Cobolli Struck his first ace and, with a backhand down the line pass, held to 30 form 2-4 while shelton faced two deuce points but with three additional aces escaped for 5-2.
The World #17 Serving to stay in the set with new balls donated three unforced errors and faced deuce, but with his second held for 3-5. Shelton serving for the set gifted two unforced errors, Faced Double Break Point, and Dumped Serve we Italian crushed an inside-out forehand pass.
AFTER BATTling to Break, Cololli Collaps as he attempted to level the set at five. He missed 5/6 First Serves, Faced Triple Set Point, and Concented It With A Wild and Wide Inside-Out Forehand.
Shelton Served First in the Second and Though He Faced A Double Break Point, Held with Three Consecutive Monster Serves, Including His Sixth Ace, while Cobolli Made 3/6 First Serves and Held to 30 to level.
Break 2TIME 2025 Champion Continued to Extract Errors from the World #7. Shelton mised 3/6 First Serves and Dumped Serve Following Three Grundstroke Errors. The Italian Hit Two Outstanding Winners and Held to 15 to consolidate the break for 3-1; 2-3.
Cobolli Hit Two Winners, Including His Third Ace, and Held Easily To 15 form 4-2 while shelton, serving with new balls, held to love for 3-4 with his ninth ace. The Italian opened the 8th with a fantastic cross-curt forehand and held to 15 form 5-3 while the American Serving to Stay in the Set, Gifted His Second Double Fault, Yet Held to 30 form 4-5. Cobolli serving to force the decide, oped and closed with ance to seal the set 6-4.
Shelton Served First in the Third and Immediately Faced Pressure Following Two Double Faults, Three Deuce, and A Break Point, Yet Got on the Board with his Tenth Ace.
COBOLLI HAD A MUCH EASIER TIME IN HIS OPENING Service Game, Pummeling Two Spectacular Winners to Hold at LOVE TO Level. Shelton Struggled Once Again, Gifting Three Consecutive Forehand Errors and Faced Double Break Point. With grit, resolve, and spot serving, he persevered and for 2-1.
The Italian Hit Two Winners, Including His Fifth Ace on Game Point to Level at while the American Commedted Three Unforced Errors, Faced Triple Break Point, and Dropped Serve. Cobolli Struck Two Consecutive Winners, Including his Sixth Ace, and Consolidated the Break at Love while Shelton Two Winners, Including His Eleventh Ace, and Held at Love for 3-4.
COBOLLI OPENED THE NINT WITH TWO CONSECUTIVE EXTRAORY FOREHAND WINNERS AND HELD EASLY TO 15 form 5-3while shelton, serving to stay in the Match, Made 3/5 First Serves and Held to 15 form 4-5.
COBOLLI CAPITULATED WENDING FOR THE MATCH. The Italian Missed 5/6 First Serves, Including His Second Double Fault and Dumped Serve with A meat forehand. Shelton seized the moment and the momentum, consolidating the break at love to lead 6-5.
The Italian now served to force the tiebreak, but it was one-way traffic for the American. Shelton opened with an incredible inside-out foreshand and concentated just one point in securing the breaker, set, and match.
It was an enthralling, high-octane match from two of the Game’s Most Dynamic and Athletic Players. In the end, it was anyone’s match. With so many ebbs and swings and swings in momentum, it appeared the Italian Waled Prevail, but he fumbled and shelton pounced. Only Three Points Separated the Combatants. Though Both ostrich More Unforced Errors Than Winners, They Each Took Turns Dictating and Taching Risks.
While his first serve percentage was adequate at 62%, he won 71% of first and 49% of Second Serve Points. He saved 7/10 Break points while converting 3/9. He won more basin points (53/97) and excelled when Moving Forward, Winning 13/19.
Thirty of Shelton’s Forty-Six Errors were off the forehand. He will Need to Buttress That Side Wohen He Battles World #8Alex de minaur, for the first time, with a spot in the semis in toronto on the line.
