Shelton submits Wawrinka 7-6, 7-5 to reach the quarters at the Swiss Indoors Basel
Ben Shelton of the United States is gunning for his second title of the season after triumphing on clay in Houston (v. Tiafoe) in April. Unable to defend his title in Tokyo, his ranking dropped from a career high of thirteen to #23. Twenty-two year old southpaw from Atlanta, Georgia with a win/loss record of 38/23is the sixth seed in Basel in front of the Swiss national team, Stan Wawrinka.
Wawrinka, who has won sixteen career titles, including three Grand Slams, is currently ranked #169after reaching a career high rank of #3 a decade ago. The thirty-nine-year-old tour veteran continues to work his way back into the rankings after several debilitating injuries and surgeries.
This autumn he has played at an extremely high level dispatching Brandon Nakashima, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Andrey Rublev at the Nordic Open before succumbing to Tommy Paul in straight games in the semi-finals. With his first-round loss in three sets to Adrian Mannarino, he became the oldest player to win a match in Basel.
This was their first tournament-level meeting. Wawrinka won the toss and elected to take. Shelton hit two winners, including an ace on the tee, and held on 30while Wawrinka hit three winners in a row, including two aces, and held at love.
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The American hit three winners, including his second ace, and remained in love with it 2-1 as Wawrinka hit two strong forehand winners and held at love for parity. Shelton hit four straight winners and fell in love with it 3-2 while Wawrinka opened with an ace and held 30 to level.
Shelton struggled in the seventh game facing two deuces and two break points, but with three straight first serves, including another assist, held for 4-3. Wawrinka hit two winners in a row, including a service game and volley, and easily held on 15 to level.
Shelton opened the ninth with a service and game winner and as he faced another break point, held for 5-4 with an ace up the tee. Serving to stay in the set, Wawrinka hit three incredible winners, including a cross-court volley to level the game.
Shelton opened the eleventh with two straight forehand winners and went to love with his fifth ace. Wawrinka serving to stay in the set and force the trespasser misses 3/6 first serve including a double fault but drew a backfault to level 6-6. Shelton dominated the tiebreak with three winners including his sixth ace to secure it 7-2 when his opponent cooked the return.
Enjoying the applause and cheers of the partisan crowd, the Swiss superstar served first in the second and held 30 ABOUT 1-0. Shelton served his first double fault but held on 30 to level.
Wawrinka lost 3/4 initially serves but loves the one that hit it wide. Shelton did 4/4 First serve including his seventh ace and in love with a backswing volley winner.
Wawrinka lost 4/6 first serve but held for 3-2 with a colossal serve to the tee, while Shelton did 3/4 first serves and is held in love on the level. of 3-The one-time Grand Slam champion continued to struggle on serve but managed to hold 15 with his trademark backhand down the line.
The American opened the ninth with two straight faults and faced two deuces and two break points before holding with a spectacular crosscourt forehand. Wawrinka opened with a forehand and a stunning half-volley knife, held dear for 5-4.
Shelton served to stay in the set, hit three straight winners, including two aces, and held at love level. Wawrinka opened the 11th with his second double fault and inexplicably served three straight service errors to drop serve for the first time.
Shelton did 3/4 serves first and after a while 90 minutes, ensured the victory and a place in the quarters. It was an impressive, explosive but poised performance from the young American. He silenced the adversary and the partisan crowd with his varied arsenal of weapons.
He finished with 9 ace, 1 double fault and won 83First % and 68% of second serve points. He held his opponent to four aces as he won 42% of second serve return points. He hit 35 the winners of 18 unforced and stored errors 5/5 break point during the conversion of the one who won.
In this ATP 500 The event with a spot in the semifinals on the line, Shelton will battle top ball and world #7 Andrey Rublev for the first time.
