The United States have a representative in the Australian Open semi-finals for the first time since 2009 after Tommy Paul outgunned countryman Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals.
There may have been a guaranteed American in the final four beforehand, but the significance of breaking through and going deep into the second week wasn’t lost on Paul, who easily achieved his best finish at the majors.
Tommy Paul is through to the semi-finals.Credit:AP
Opponent Shelton, aged 20, had been on a charmed run in Melbourne on his first trip outside the United States but it was a dream scenario for Paul, too, winning 7-6 (8-6 ), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Once it was clear his time in the quarters could yet turn into a prime-time semi showdown – with either Novak Djokovic or Andrey Rublev – Paul’s mother decided to fly to Australia as soon as possible.
“She’s right up there,” Paul said post match on court, pointing to his entourage.
“She got here this morning. She went straight from work to the airport.”
A 25-year-old former junior world No.3 coached by Brad Stine, Paul played a well-crafted match, regularly putting the ball on Shelton’s backhand to avoid the left-hander’s powerful forehand.
He ground through the first set, and edged ahead in the tie-breaker after 56 minutes. But in the next set he got ahead in overall play and appeared likely to close it out in straight sets.
Shelton, however, didn’t give up on his game or his swing-for-the-lines approach, fighting out the contest as the preferred mode of attack. Deep into the third set, Shelton pounced and broke when leading 6-5 to raise hopes of a miracle.
Paul, however, never panicked, maintaining his tactics in the fourth to close the match out in just over three hours.
“Making it to the second week of a slam is everyone’s dream,” said Paul.
“I can’t believe that I’m here right now.”
United mates of America: Tommy Paul, right, is congratulated by compatriot Ben Shelton.Credit:AP
It was a stellar charge to the quarter-finals for Shelton, who was playing his second major after joining the tour last year.
This Australian Open men’s singles draw has been a renaissance for the American game. Top-10 player Taylor Fritz fell to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, but other lights have shone brightly – Paul, Shelton and Sebastian Korda, who withdrew with injury while trailing in the quarter-finals.
Paul is the 24th American man in the open era to reach the Australian Open semi-finals, continuing in the tradition of stars of the game in Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Andre Agassi.
More recently, it was left to Andy Roddick to restore pride but the 2003 US Open champion’s fourth and final time at such a deep juncture in Melbourne came 13 years ago.
Of active players on the ATP tour, Paul joins John Isner (Wimbledon 2018) and Frances Tiafoe (last year’s US Open) to reach a grand slam semi.
There are highly established players left in the draw, meaning Paul’s hopes of grand slam glory might be just that, but it will be two weeks to celebrate for the United States regardless.
