Ben Shelton emerged victorious in a thrilling semi-final encounter against fellow American Marcos Giron at the Japan Open and reached his first ATP Tour final. In an interesting match, Shelton didn’t give up after throwing away the first set. The 21-year-old defeated Giron with a final score of 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 in Tokyo, Japan. He will face Aslan Karatsev in the finals on October 22, 2023. Related: Approaching 80, Billie Jean King is still globetrotting for investment in women’s sports
This is the first final in the career of the young American lad. After losing the first set, Ben kept believing in himself and took care of his basics so that he could gather momentum and win the match. The powerful serve, along with 13 aces, sealed the game for Ben. As per the reports, he is expected to win his first ATP Tour title after defeating the world no. 50, Aslan Karatsev.
In the first set, Ben Shelton was leading but lost back-to-back games and gave the lead to Karatsev. After the first set, he lost his momentum and was trailing 5-2 in the second set. The world no. 19 fought back in that set and clinched the victory. This win will help him climb more rankings in the official ATP singles rankings.
Earlier in this tournament, Ben won against Taro Daniel (3-6, 6-4, 7-6), Jordan Thompson (6-7, 6-4, 6-3), and Tommy Paul (7-6, 6-3). Also read: Rafael Nadal Announces Comeback at Australian Open 2024
Ben Shelton’s win in the semi-final at the Japan Open is an indication of his performance and dominance on the upcoming ATP tours. His never-give-up attitude and commitment towards the game made him win the game after losing the first set. We hope that Ben Shelton wins his final against the mighty Aslan Karatsev and clinches his maiden ATP Tour title.