WHAT HAPPENED: On a sun-scorched Wednesday afternoon, fans sought shade beneath the pavilion on the Grandstand as they packed in to watch Ben Shelton take on Roberto Bautista Agut for a spot in the 2024 US Open’s third round. They may have been out of the sun, but nobody could escape the heat of the American’s electric game.
With fans packed to the rafters to get a glimpse of Shelton’s shotgun serve, the American confidently turned up the voltage and surged past the veteran Spaniard, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, to set up an enticing all-American third-round clash with friend-turned-foe Frances Tiafoe.
“I didn’t know,” said Shelton of the impending matchup. “I’m not someone who looks at the draw early in advance.
“I’m really looking forward to it, obviously we had a battle in the quarters here last year. I’m sure it will be another popcorn-type match.”
At one point during his tilt with Bautista Agut, microphones picked up Shelton’s coach and father, former ATP pro Bryan Shelton, shouting words of encouragement.
His advice? “Let’s be relentless.”
Despite the high temperatures and humidity that made playing conditions challenging, his son didn’t disappoint.
The 36-year-old Bautista Agut, making his 11th US Open appearance, did his best to weather the storm. He saved the first four break points he faced in a contest that was largely controlled by Shelton’s dominant left-hand, but eventually fell victim to his opponent’s explosive power.
Shelton hit 60 winners on the afternoon; Bautista Agut could only manage 13.
The 21-year-old southpaw made his first of many critical strikes at the 40-minute mark of the opening set, lashing a forehand to break for 5-3, then quickly served out the stanza in the next game.
The second set followed a similar script, with Shelton whipping another of his 27 forehand winners to break for a 4-3 lead. He dropped just three more points on serve in the set.
Bautista Agut, a former world No. 9 who is currently ranked 67, kept up the chase in the third set, but his best efforts were snuffed out by the American.
With the Spaniard serving at 4-4, 30-40 in the third set, Shelton’s coach again had more advice: “Just keep punching,” he said.
Moments later the American tucked a forehand winner into the open court that sealed his third break of the afternoon and brought the crowd to its feet. He locked up the victory in a hurry, finishing the match with his fastest serve of the match—a 141 mph screamer.
“I thought I moved extremely well,” Shelton said. “I served well, I hit my forehand well today. I didn’t get broken and I was clutch at the end of sets when I needed to be. I’m happy with where my game’s at going into the next round.”
WHAT IT MEANS: Shelton takes another step in his quest to prove that his trip to the semifinals last year was no flash in the pan. The former Florida Gator ousted Tiafoe in the quarterfinals last year before hitting a roadblock known as Novak Djokovic in the last four.
To make an impact in the business end of this year’s men’s singles draw, he’ll have to go through Tiafoe again. The pair’s first US Open meeting was a memorable one. In a Stadium named after Arthur Ashe, a human rights activist who fought for racial equality, Shelton and Tiafoe played the first major quarterfinal between two Black men in the Open era, which dates to 1968.
Shelton came away with the four-set victory, becoming the youngest American man to reach the US Open semifinals since Michael Chang in 1992. In April, he defeated Tiafoe again in this year’s Houston final, in their only other meeting.
MATCH POINT: This year in New York, Shelton is bidding to become the first American to reach back-to-back US Open semifinals since Andre Agassi in 1992-93. He has reached at least the third round of all four majors played in 2024, and improves to 7-2 lifetime at the US Open with his win.
