Ben Shelton rode a nine-won winning range in Friday Friday’s confrontation with Alexander ZverevBut while the match was dressed, it was clear that Shelton had gathered such an impressive victory of the victories was not really there tonight.
He sprayed mistakes, lacking his trademark fire and landed quite easily against Zverev, who was also fighting his physical issues.
When it was said and made, Germany, a former champion in Cincinnat, had a 6-2, 6-2 decision and a date with Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday’s semifinal. Maybe it was Shelton who was the real winner. At least he will take some more time to rest and recover before he starts grinding back to the US Open, which begins in eight days.
As for Zverev, he will face the Spaniard and hope to feel better than he is tonight. Germany seemed to be fighting with respiratory matters and had handed over an inhaler to him in court. He was a lethargic sometimes, but he had more than enough game to spend Shelton in 77 minutes.
Zverev called the doctor to 2-1 in the second set, and did not seem to know what his issue was.
“For now I’m not feeling great … I’m not sure what happened,” said the 2021 champion. “I came out today and I probably felt the best I felt within a few months. I was feeling the ball extremely well on both sides. In the first set I started to feel not so great and worsened.
Zverev, who lost to the eventual champion Jannik Sinner in last year’s semifinal at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, improves at 4-0 against Shelton.
