Ben Shelton Powers Through to Dallas Open Quarterfinals

Ben Shelton secured his place in the quarterfinals of the Nexo Dallas Open on Thursday, battling past French lefty Adrian Mannarino in a thrilling three-set encounter. The American, currently ranked No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings, emerged victorious with a score of 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 6-3, marking his 25th tour-level quarter-final appearance.

The match was a captivating display of shotmaking, featuring a remarkable 29-shot rally on the opening point of the first-set tie-break. Mannarino, fresh off a finalist appearance in Montpellier, effectively absorbed Shelton’s powerful serves, but Shelton ultimately elevated his game when it mattered most, closing out the match after two hours and 40 minutes.

“Ridiculous tennis,” Shelton commented after the match. “I thought [Adrian] played at an extremely high level, I think he always does against me. We’ve had some crazy matches, last match I got injured against him at the US Open. A big battle for sure. He does a lot of things that make it very, very difficult. Especially playing him on a low-bouncing indoor court.”

The clash saw numerous momentum shifts, with Mannarino forcing a decider by converting his sixth set point. Despite letting slip four set points earlier, Mannarino showcased his resilience. He even produced a potential shot-of-the-year contender with a stunning between-the-legs winner.

Shelton ultimately gained the upper hand in the deciding set, winning 52% of his return points, a significant improvement from the 32% and 31% in the first and second sets, respectively (according to Infosys ATP Stats). This victory brings Shelton’s Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Mannarino to 2-3.

Next Up for Shelton: Kecmanovic Challenge

Shelton will now face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who upset fifth seed Tommy Paul with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Kecmanovic holds a 4-2 series lead against Paul and will be looking to continue his momentum against Shelton, marking their first-ever encounter. This match will determine a spot in the semi-finals for both players.

Other Notable Results

Defending champion Denis Shapovalov advanced to the quarterfinals with a swift 6-4, 6-4 win over Aleksandar Kovacevic, not facing a single break point during the 66-minute match. Shapovalov will next face third seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Marin Cilic, who recently achieved his 600th career tour-level win, defeated Ethan Quinn 7-6(4), 6-3. Cilic will face British qualifier Jack Pinnington Jones, who overcame Eliot Spizzirri in a thrilling three-set match. Pinnington Jones, a recent graduate from Texas Christian University, is making his debut in a tour-level quarter-final.

You might also be interested in: The rise of Jack Pinnington Jones

Source: ATP Tour