AUCKLAND – Ben Shelton plans to have an “exciting two weeks” at the Australian Open, after the Auckland Classic top seed suffered a shock semi-final exit on Jan 12.
Unseeded pair Taro Daniel and Alejandro Tabilo set up a final that will feature two players ranked outside the top 70 after straight-set wins.
Japan’s Daniel beat American powerhouse Shelton 7-5, 7-6 (11-9) before Chilean qualifier Tabilo toppled French teenager and sixth seed Arthur Fils 6-2, 7-5.
World No. 16 Shelton reached the 2023 Australian Open quarter-finals and the US Open semi-finals, and is seen as a danger man in Melbourne next week.
The 21-year-old said he will be ready for the year’s first Grand Slam, despite his surprise exit in Auckland.
“Definitely disappointed that my run ended here, but I’m going to get over there and get prepared. Hopefully, I’ll have an exciting two weeks over there,” said Shelton, who conceded he was too erratic against his 74th-ranked opponent.
“I had a hard time dealing with a lot of the stuff he was throwing at me. There were things I didn’t execute at the highest level today that I would have wanted to – a few volleys on top of the net and stuff like that.”
Daniel, 30, suffered two gruelling losses to Shelton last season, including a five-setter in the Wimbledon first round, and was pleased to gain some measure of revenge.
“It’s always difficult to play against Ben because he doesn’t give you much rhythm. “It’s all about who can put on more pressure and that tiebreak was such a dogfight,” he said.
Tabilo, seeking his first ATP title, was also able to neutralise his opponent’s power game in hot conditions. The 26-year-old won his quarter-final by walkover when injured second-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie withdrew.
But he proved worthy of a place in the final by frustrating 19-year-old Fils who, at 35th, is the world’s highest-ranked teenager.
At the Adelaide International, Latvian sixth seed Jelena Ostapenko defeated Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) to propel back into the top 10 for the first time in six years.
Currently ranked 12th, the former French Open champion will vie for the title against another Russian in Daria Kasatkina, who earned a walkover win when American second seed Jessica Pegula withdrew with illness.
“She can serve big and was hitting great. But I was just trying to play my game,” Ostapenko said of Alexandrova.
“I’m glad I won in two sets. I’ve been trying to play more aggressive, it’s something we’ve been working on. I’m feeling good and looking forward to the final.”
AFP, REUTERS
