Shelton tops Tiafoe on sweltering night in Washington
Shelton blasted an ace on match point to seal the win and avenge his five-set loss to Tiafoe at last year's U.S. Open as the 22-year-old continues to make strides in his breakout season.
Hometown hero Tiafoe had the support of the energized crowd but lost momentum when he was unable to serve out the first set while up 6-5, leading to a tiebreak that Shelton dominated.
The second set hinged on a marathon game at 3-3, where Shelton pocketed a break thanks to a Taifoe double fault.
Shelton rode his huge lefty serve from there to grab the win and set up a semi-final meeting with either top seed Taylor Fritz or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
"It was a tough one for sure but enjoyable nonetheless," Shelton told Tennis Channel.
"I love playing against Foe. Difficult guy to play against but playing him here in the U.S., especially being here in D.C., it was packed, it was a great atmosphere. I couldn't be happier."
Earlier, tournament lucky loser Corentin Moutet stunned Russia's Daniil Medvedev 6-1 4-6 4-6 in a wild match interrupted by an hour-long delay due to the threat of thunderstorms.
Moutet, leading 5-4 in the final set when they returned to the court, was hobbled by leg cramps but completed the upset in a final game that featured three double faults by Medvedev and a frantic match point.
The Frenchman fell on his back in relief after securing the victory as Medvedev threw his racket and proceeded to take out his frustration on several water bottles, drawing boos from the crowd.
"That is a great way to finish the match," said world number 59 Moutet.
"I was with my coach when we were up 5-4 and I said okay, I have to win the next game because my body cannot handle too much more."
Moutet will face Australian seventh seed Alex de Minaur, who was a 6-4 6-4 winner over Brandon Nakashima.
On the women's side, Canadian Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu both overcame the stifling heat and their opponents to advance to the semifinals, setting up a potential rematch of the 2021 U.S. Open final that was won by the Englishwoman.
For that to happen Raducanu, who beat Maria Sakkari in straight sets on Friday, will have to best Russian Anna Kalinskaya.
Fernandez takes on third seed Elena Rybakina in the semis of the ATP and WTA 500 event on Saturday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
D-backs (and Tigers) await news on Eugenio Suarez's hand
July 29 - There was plenty of drama during the first game of the Arizona-Detroit series on Monday night, though it had little to do with the outcome. The Tigers and Diamondbacks will play the second game of the three-game series on Tuesday evening in Detroit. The Diamondbacks and the many trade suitors for Eugenio Suarez got a huge scare in the ninth inning when the slugging third baseman was hit in the hand by a Will Vest pitch. Suarez said afterward that X-rays on his index finger were negative. He planned to have more tests on Tuesday. "Right now, it's painful, obviously. The good news is the X-ray was negative," he said postgame. "We'll see (Tuesday) what else they're going to do. Right now, I will do my best to try to be back soon." The Tigers are one of many teams reportedly interested in the services of Suarez, who is among the top five in the majors with 36 homers. Detroit won the series opener 5-1 and will seek a third straight victory following a six-game slide. The Tigers' roster is in flux. Outfielder Kerry Carpenter was activated from the injured list on Sunday. The team learned on Monday that starting pitcher Reese Olson would miss at least the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury, so the Tigers acquired Chris Paddack from the Minnesota Twins to replace him. Detroit also placed outfielder Parker Meadows on the IL with a quad issue. Andy Ibanez, who was recalled from Triple-A Toledo, gave the offense a spark with a double and solo homer Monday night. "I told (Ibanez) before the game, don't try to make up for lost time in one game," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "So if that's his way of just settling in -- bam, double, homer. I know it means a lot to him. It crushed him to be sent down. But he went down, did his work and waited for the next opportunity." American League All-Star Casey Mize (9-4, 3.40 ERA), who is scheduled to start for the Tigers on Tuesday, has gotten roughed up in his past two starts. The right-hander allowed six runs in three innings to the Seattle Mariners just before the break, then yielded five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in four innings at Pittsburgh last Tuesday in an 8-5 loss. "I just look at myself and what I can do better," Mize said. "I think the role of the starting pitcher is so important, just setting the tone for the game and not having those guys on the field for too long." Mize, who will face the Diamondbacks for the first time, originally was scheduled to pitch on Monday. He was given an extra day of rest after experiencing some minor knee tightness. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (10-6, 4.76 ERA), Mize's mound opponent, has delivered three straight solid starts. He held the San Diego Padres to two runs in eight innings on July 9. In his first outing after the All-Star break, Pfaadt tossed seven scoreless innings against St. Louis. In his latest start, he was charged with two runs in 5 1/3 innings in his team's 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday. Pfaadt didn't give up a run in the first five innings but was pulled shortly after allowing back-to-back doubles in the sixth. "Ran into some trouble in the sixth, and (it) came back to bite us," said Pfaadt, who will face the Tigers for the first time in his career. "That's what's most disappointing." --Field Level Media
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
NFL quarterback Will Levis shares hideous photo of shoulder injury that has ruled him out of 2025 season
NFL quarterback Will Levis has shared a picture of the gruesome shoulder injury that has ruled him out of the 2025 season, as he prepares to undergo surgery. The Titans revealed earlier this month that Levis will be out for the entirety of the upcoming campaign after suffering the injury, in a major blow to the franchise. The 26-year-old is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday and, ahead of the operation, offered fans a glimpse of the current state of his injured shoulder. Taking to his Instagram story, Levis shared a photo of his swollen shoulder with the caption: 'Last night with this lil guy'. Levis also included a 'raised hands' emoji which appeared to represent his excitement at finally getting the injury resolved - even if it means missing the upcoming season. Earlier in the month, the Titans released a statement revealing the news that Levis would be ruled out for the entire 2025 campaign. 'After consulting with doctors and his representatives, Will Levis has decided to undergo shoulder surgery that will sideline him for the entire 2025 season,' the statement read. 'We support his decision to focus on his long-term health. He approached the offseason with professionalism and showed clear growth as a leader. We remain confident in his full recovery.' Levis was set to fight for his role as starting QB against first-overall pick Cam Ward - but will now sit the rest of the season. Veteran backup Brandon Allen is set to take the QB2 spot while another career benchwarmer, Tim Boyle, is projected to slide up to QB3. After initially beginning the 2023 season on the bench, Levis replaced Ryan Tannehill for eight games in the middle of the campaign. Last year, Levis became the full-time starter for Tennessee, but did not put up the most impressive numbers. He finished with 2,091 yards - good for only 27th in the league. Levis even finished behind Jameis Winston, who only became the starter for the Cleveland Browns after Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending injury. Additionally, Levis finished the season with a QBR of 27.8 - good for 32nd in the NFL. He also put up a rough TD-INT ratio of 13 to 12. Levis missed five games in the 2025 season. First, he missed three games after injuring his AC joint in Week 3. Then, his poor performances led to him being benched for two weeks toward the end of the season. Now, Ward is set to get the start after a stellar season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2024. He is the first quarterback that the Titans have taken in the first round since they selected Marcus Mariota second overall in 2015. Ward is also the first first-overall pick that the franchise has had since the then-Houston Oilers took running back Earl Campbell in 1978.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
MLB Hall of Famer dies aged 65 following cancer battle
By MLB Hall of Famer and former Chicago Cubs star Ryne Sandberg (pictured) has died aged 65 after a battle with cancer. The news was confirmed by the MLB on Monday night. In a statement, they wrote: 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.' 'The beloved Cubs second baseman was a five-tool model of consistency in the 1980s and early '90s, making 10 consecutive All-Star teams and winning 9 straight Gold Glove awards. On June 23, 1984, a national TV audience watched Sandberg hit a pair of game-tying home runs in the 9th and 10th innings off Cardinals closer and future Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter.' 'Part of a magical Cubs Postseason run, the game is forever remembered in Chicago as 'The Sandberg Game.' He went on to win the 1984 NL MVP Award. 'Over 16 seasons, Sandberg slugged 282 home runs, 277 of which were as a second baseman, then a Major League record. He hit 25+ homers five times and stole 30+ bases five times.' 'Sandberg made his Major League debut with the Phillies in 1981 and later managed them for parts of three seasons. On June 23, 2024, the 40th anniversary of his iconic moment, the Cubs unveiled a statue of Sandberg outside Wrigley Field. Sandberg bravely battled cancer the last two years. He was 65'. Meanwhile, Chicago Cubs released their own statement. Executive chairman Tom Ricketts said: 'Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise. His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career.' 'He was immensely proud of his teammates and his role as a global ambassador of the game of baseball, but most of all, he was proud of Margaret, his children and his role as husband, father and grandfather'. The 'Sandberg Game' - back in 1984 - is remembered as the game in which the second baser introduced himself to baseball fans across the country. In the ninth inning of the Cubs' game against the St Louis Cardinals, Sandberg shocked everyone as he hit a homerun against Bruce Sutter to tie the game. The Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the 10th before Sandberg stepped up once more, with the Cubs already having a man on base.
