Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe will meet at the US Open once again, this time meeting in the third round of the 2024 edition of the New York Slam.
The two Americans are two of the most electric tennis players on the ATP Tour. On the one hand, Tiafoe is a showman in an athlete's body. He can’t help but play exciting tennis, even though that style doesn’t always yield the best results.
On the other hand, Shelton has superstar written all over him. He has the game, the charisma, and, most importantly, what it takes to succeed. Both players have been solid lately. Shelton picked up some form in Cincinnati and has looked very good in New York.
Tiafoe reached the final at the Cincinnati Open, which was a huge achievement for him and boosted his confidence. He’s a very momentum-based player, which allows him to ride waves like this.
This is one of the reasons why some think he might win this all-American match, and there are valid arguments for that.
Head-to-head:
The two have played each other twice so far, with Shelton winning both matches. The first encounter was last year at the US Open, where Shelton came out on top. It wasn’t a huge surprise at the time, as he was playing significantly better tennis than Tiafoe.
This year, the situation is a bit different. Tiafoe is playing at least at an equally high level, if not better. His run at the Cincinnati Open greatly boosted his confidence, and he looked solid in New York.
This makes his chances of winning much more likely compared to last year. The second matchup occurred this year at the Houston Open, and once again, it was Shelton who came out on top.
It was a three-set match, so not the cleanest performance, but Shelton was the better player once again. This season has generally been quite rough for Tiafoe, but he has looked motivated and strong lately, so he is expected to perform much better than last time.
He has the tools to beat Shelton, even though the younger player has the better serve and is likely stronger from the ground.
| Ben Shelton | Frances Tiafoe | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | H2H | 0 |
| 13 | Rank | 20 |
| 21 | Age | 26 |
| 32-19 | 2024 W/L | 26-19 |
| 61-46 | Career W/L | 203-184 |
Prediction:
What Tiafoe has over Shelton is the ability to produce moments of brilliance, which the youngster hasn’t yet shown. Tiafoe can win matches by playing his best tennis and has that magical ability to create a shot out of nowhere.
This has been particularly evident in New York. Given his recent form, Tiafoe seems primed for a strong run. Facing Shelton should only motivate him further, especially since he has never beaten him before.
The crowd in New York loves both players, so fan support should be evenly split. With the way he’s been playing recently, Tiafoe appears to be peaking at a higher level than Shelton, which should be enough to secure the win.
Prediction: Frances Tiafoe to win in four sets.
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