Ben Shelton names the player who is ‘scary for the rest of the field’ – and they are not in the top 10
Ben Shelton has picked Frances Tiafoe as a player that is ‘scary for the rest of the field’, warning other competitors that ‘people are in trouble’ if the world No 11 keeps up his form.
The pair faced off during their quarter-final at the Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event, with Shelton claiming the victory in a tight 7-6(2), 6-4 match.
Shelton avenged his quarter-final loss at last year’s US Open to extend his lead in their head-to-head to 3-1.
“He’s one of those guys who can turn the switch on whenever he wants it, and you guys are seeing more and more weeks every year that he’s playing his brand of tennis, really good tennis,” stated Shelton, after their match.
“That’s scary for the rest of the field. He’ll even say it himself. He used to be a guy who’d show up in the American hard-court swing and a few other times during the year, and those would be his big moments.
“The guy’s making quarterfinals at Roland Garros now, and people are in trouble.”
Tiafoe is currently occupying the world No 11 spot, just one below his career-high, which he first achieved in mid-2023.
Most recently, the world No 11 reached his maiden quarter-final at the French Open, losing out to Italian Lorenzo Musetti in four sets.
The American will be looking forward to another deep run at the season’s final Grand Slam, having reached the semi-finals at two of his last three appearances – meaning that he will be defending 720 points for his 2024 effort.
Despite the praise, Shelton always looked like the more consistent player during their Washington clash, winning 90% of his first serve points and 68% of those on his second serve.
Additionally, the American produced 10 break points, compared to Tiafoe’s sole opportunity.
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“I think obviously this court does a lot for my serve,” Shelton analysed, when asked what separated the two during their meeting.
“The ability to get the ball out of the zone is huge, especially against a guy like Foe, who is so good in the pocket.
“So my ability for my flat serves not only to be coming in at 145 but also rising above his shoulders is huge.
“Second serve, too. He’s one of the best in the world when he’s locked in, attacking second serves and making you feel like you’re on the back foot, taking a second serve and coming to the net.
“My winning percentage on second serve was probably the highest that it’s ever been against him.
“My aggressive brand of serving, and then I was willing to take chances on the return of serve, and I executed a lot. So I think that combination was kind of tough to deal with in these conditions.”
Shelton is next due to face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who overcame top seed Taylor Fritz in their quarter-final.
The Spaniard was victorious in both of his previous meetings with Shelton, at the ATP Masters tournaments in Paris (2023) and Monte-Carlo (2025).
