Match Report
Shang breaks new floor with Shelton stunner in Atlanta
Tiafoe, Cerundolo set SF showdown
July 25, 2024
Atlanta Open
Shang Juncheng earns the most important win of his profession by PIF ATP Rating.
By ATP Workers
For the second straight yr, 19-year-old Shang Juncheng has knocked dwelling favorite Ben Shelton out of the Atlanta Open. The Chinese language #NextGenATP star earned a 7-6(6), 6-4 win on Thursday evening, beating the World No. 14 for his greatest profession win by PIF ATP Rating.
Shang’s second High 20 win (2-7) noticed him by way of to his third tour-level quarter-final, with the earlier two coming this season in Hong Kong and Eastbourne. He has moved up seven locations to No. 82 within the PIF ATP Reside Rankings this week, setting himself up for a brand new career-high, and in addition solidified his place in fourth place within the PIF ATP Race To Jeddah.
“It was a extremely powerful match,” Shang mentioned after enhancing to 3-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head in opposition to Shelton. “The circumstances are fully completely different from final yr. The courts are a lot slower. However with this crowd, I actually take pleasure in enjoying right here. I do not know what I did to play so properly in opposition to Ben however he is such an incredible man, a whole lot of respect to him.”
He later added: “I feel I performed rather well and hopefully I can proceed this.”
Shang is available in with a bang 💥‼️
Greatest profession win for Shang defeating No. 1 seed Shelton 7-6(6) 6-4 @ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/yq5msniD2f
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 26, 2024
Shang received the opening tie-break after he and Shelton traded breaks from 5-5 within the first set. He didn’t face a break level in set two. The primary Chinese language quarter-finalist in Atlanta historical past, Shang will meet eighth seed Max Purcell on Friday after the Aussie’s 6-3, 6-3 win in opposition to David Goffin.
Frances Tiafoe returned to the American onerous courts with a battling win Thursday, competing in his first match since a five-set Wimbledon thriller in opposition to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The third seed earned a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 end result in opposition to Aslan Karatsev, bringing his robust from throughout the pond onto dwelling soil. Tiafoe fired 18 aces — together with one on match level — and saved three of 4 break factors within the victory, in keeping with Infosys ATP Stats.
“I am simply attempting to construct on Wimbledon,” mentioned Tiafoe, who has just lately began working with coach David Witt. “I used to be not having a lot enjoyable with my tennis in any respect for some time there. I had a good time at Wimbledon, I performed an incredible match there within the third spherical. I simply form of wish to construct on that and placed on a present for you guys.”
Now 16-15 on the yr, Tiafoe entered the U.S. hard-court summer season with 30 wins final season, reaching a career-high PIF ATP Rating of No. 10 in June. He entered Atlanta at World No. 29 this week, along with his greatest results of 2024 a ultimate look in Houston.
Subsequent up for the American will likely be Yoshihito Nishioka in Friday’s quarter-finals. The Japanese star beat dwelling favorite Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-4 to enhance to 5-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head collection in opposition to the previous faculty star at UCLA.
Fourth seed Jordan Thompson additionally superior with a 6-2, 7-5 end result in opposition to French fortunate loser Harold Mayot. The Aussie will meet fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina within the quarters after the Spaniard’s 7-5, 7-5 win in opposition to American Reilly Opelka.