Ben Shelton in the Semifinals: How He Beat Tommy Paul

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Ben Shelton in the Semifinals: How He Beat Tommy Paul.

On Friday, 6 November, the quarterfinals of the Rolex Paris Masters featured an all-American duel between Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul. Shelton won in three sets with a 6:4, 4:6 and 6:3 score, securing his first place in the last four of the French Masters 1000 tournament.

The first set was a tight affair. Shelton took the lead with 6:4 before Paul equalized the match at the same score. Shelton then gained the upper hand in the third set and won 6:3. The score in that set shows how decisively he finished the match.

Shelton Ends the US Duel After Losing the Second Set

The opening set

The 24-year-old Shelton took an early lead. He claimed the first set 6:4 against Tommy Paul, who was initially left without a set. For Shelton, that provided the foundation for a plan he maintained throughout the rest of the match despite briefly falling level.

Paul equalizes

Paul responded by winning the second set 6:4, putting the match back at 1:1. Shelton had decisively won the opening set but still had to overcome the deficit once more. That was precisely where it was decided whether the world No. 4 would reach his first Paris semifinal.

The deciding set

Paul did not take a second set in the third: Shelton won 6:3 and with it the entire match. L’Équipe reports that Shelton found his way back into the decisive phase of the match after his defeat to Paul and then reached the last four.

The result links two milestones: Shelton has reached the semifinals of the Rolex Paris Masters for the first time and is contesting a semifinal in Paris for the first time. Ouest-France therefore highlights both his first semifinal appearance in the French capital and his victory over Paul.

Saturday Will Decide Between Van Assche and Hijikata

The possible opponents

Shelton will wait for the winner of the second quarterfinal on Saturday. Two players are in contention: France’s Luca Van Assche and Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata. At the time of the match, Van Assche is ranked 47th in the world and Hijikata 83rd.

Shelton therefore still does not know his opponent for his first Paris semifinal. It will not be another round against Paul, but a new match against either Van Assche or Hijikata. The reported tournament outlook names both possibilities for Saturday’s match.

What is already certain

Shelton’s place in the tournament bracket is certain. He now belongs to the last four players at the Rolex Paris Masters. What remains is a place in the final: to reach it, he must defeat the winner of the Van Assche-Hijikata quarterfinal in the semifinal. The outcome of that quarterfinal will therefore directly determine who faces Shelton on Saturday.

The roles are clear: Shelton comes into the match as the world No. 4 and newly qualified semifinalist after facing Paul. Van Assche or Hijikata must first secure their own place in the semifinal through the second quarterfinal.

A Victory That Extends Shelton’s Paris Run

The immediate success

For Shelton, the clear result against Paul comes first: three sets, a straight-sets victory and a place among the last four. Friday afternoon’s match was an all-American duel, and Shelton won it 6:3 in the third set after the score had been tied at one set apiece.

The victory, however, does not mean his run in Paris is over. His next match is already set for Saturday. Shelton will then face an opponent named either Van Assche or Hijikata—and only a semifinal victory will take him into the final of the French Masters 1000 tournament.

The practical consequence

For you as a spectator, the situation after Shelton’s victory is clear: Saturday, the semifinals, Shelton against the winner of Van Assche or Hijikata. Following his success over Paul, Shelton has already completed one full stage of the tournament. The remaining decision now rests with his opponent from the second quarterfinal and with the semifinal match on Saturday.