Shelton snaps Fils’ ATP 500 streak, reaches Basel final

Ben Shelton’s big-kicking lefty serve proved the key ingredient to snapping one of the ATP Tour’s most impressive open streaks on Saturday at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The sixth-seeded American downed Arthur Fils 6-3, 7-6(9) in a hard-fought 78-minute semi-final encounter to halt Fils’ winning streak at ATP 500s after 13 matches. Shelton did not face a break point and won 88 per cent (45/51) of points behind his first delivery against Fils, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but he was still forced to rally from 3/6 in the second-set tie-break before completing his win.

“I served really well today, and I had to because I know what Arthur is capable of when he touches the ball,” said Shelton in his on-court interview. “The goal was to let him know I got clean hits on the ball as much as possible, and I executed really well. He served well [too], so there weren’t that many long points. A really high level match, and I’m not sure how I pulled that tie-break out in the second set.”

⭐️ PERFECTION FROM BIG BEN ⭐️@BenShelton defeats his good friend Fils 6-3 7-6(9) to reach the showpiece final in Basel!!!#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/sjVteMObn3

Shelton (aged 22) and Fils (20) were two of a host of young talents in ATP 500 semi-final action on Saturday. Shelton’s final opponent will be Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (21), who later prevailed 7-6(6), 6-4 against fourth seed Holger Rune (also 21). Meanwhile at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Jack Draper ousted his fellow 22-year-old Lorenzo Musetti to reach his maiden ATP 500 final.

“I think a really exciting thing about this tournament is in the semi-finals we had four guys 22 years old or younger,” said Shelton in Basel. “I think that shows how strong our next gen is. I’m the oldest of the four, so that’s kind of crazy to think about. Probably the first time that’s happened to me in the semi-finals.”

Saturday’s encounter was the second Lexus ATP Head2Head clash in the space of a month between Shelton and Fils, after the Frenchman clinched a deciding-tie-break quarter-final win en route to the Tokyo title. Although the pair are good friends off the court and competed together in the Basel doubles this week, Shelton acknowledged he had extra motivation to triumph in the semi-final.

“I think it’s always difficult to play friends, but maybe it was a little bit easier for me because he beat me in Tokyo and I wanted revenge," he said. "He got the title that week, so hopefully I can come and get this title this week.”

Now 41-23 for the season, the 22-year-old Shelton has also guaranteed himself a return to the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday with his Basel run. He has risen four spots to No. 19 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings so far this week, and would rise another spot to 18th if he lifts the trophy on Sunday.

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