Toronto Masters: Shelton Dominates Fritz, Set to Face Khachanov in Final

This morning in Beijing time, fourth seed Ben Shelton triumphed over fellow American and second seed Taylor Fritz with a score of 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals of the Toronto tournament, marking his entry into the final of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.

This match is particularly meaningful for American men's tennis, as it is the first all-American ATP Masters 1000 semifinal since 2010. During the match, world number 7 Shelton showcased a comprehensive and powerful performance. Against Fritz, who had only been broken once in his previous three matches, Shelton not only utilized his expected serving advantage but also launched surprising baseline attacks during the return game, successfully suppressing his opponent. In the first set, Shelton earned six break points across Fritz's three service games and achieved a break in the ninth game with a powerful down-the-line forehand winner; entering the second set, the 22-year-old showed no signs of easing up, and as one of the top players in the current tennis landscape, he executed a crucial break in the fifth game with a combination of a drop shot and a high lob, leaving Fritz at the net completely helpless, ultimately sealing the victory.

Notably, this marks Shelton's first time defeating two Top 10 players consecutively—having recently overcome Alex de Minaur, the champion of the Washington ATP 500 event, in the quarterfinals. After celebrating this breakthrough victory, Shelton wrote on camera, "A broader unknown. Humble and eager," showcasing his mindset.

In this tournament, Shelton has achieved his 100th career tour victory. Next, he will face Karen Khachanov in the final on Thursday night at 7 PM (Eastern Time). If he wins, he will rise to a career-high ranking of 6 in the world, surpassing Novak Djokovic.

According to Infosys ATP statistics, Shelton recorded 22 aces, while Fritz managed 10; Shelton hit 5 backhand winners, compared to Fritz's 0. Additionally, Shelton had 10 break points and limited Fritz's first serve success rate to 68% and second serve success rate to 39%, laying a solid foundation for his advancement.

In another semifinal that concluded earlier, Russian player and 11th seed Khachanov defeated top seed Zverev with scores of 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) to advance to the final. Khachanov won his only ATP 1000 Masters title to date by defeating Djokovic at the Paris Masters in 2018.

Does this look a lot like Alcaraz?

Khachanov has a 1-0 head-to-head record against Shelton. In the third round of this year's Indian Wells Masters, Shelton defeated Khachanov in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.

Given their current forms, Shelton is undoubtedly the favorite. While Khachanov excels in serving and forehand, those are also Shelton's strengths. Comparatively, Shelton's on-court performance tends to be more electrifying, especially since Toronto is almost like a home court for him, which can amplify his emotions.

Thus, Khachanov must contain Shelton's firepower from the start to prevent him from getting too excited. If Khachanov wins the championship, his ATP ranking will surpass De Minaur's eighth place, matching his best ranking from six years ago and returning him to the TOP 10.

In conclusion, this final without the Big Three or K-Sin is highly anticipated.

[Come see me][Bowing][Heart][Sending myself a flower]

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