Breaking News: Juncheng Shang shows Upsets Ben Shelton in Atlanta as Frances Tiafoe Also Victorious Due to…
19-year-old Juncheng Shang is the most prominent player born in 2005, carving his way toward the top-50. Juncheng suffered a massive Wimbledon loss to Grigor Dimitrov after taking the opening two sets, resting and returning to action in Atlanta.
A teenager missed a place in the main draw and entered the qualifying draw as the top seed. Shang took down Liam Broady and J.J. Wolf, joining the main action and toppling Andres Martin 6-1, 6-1 in 55 minutes. Thus, the young Chinese booked the second-round clash with the top seed Ben Shelton, facing the American for the second straight year in Atlanta.
Juncheng ousted Ben a year ago and repeated that on Thursday, notching a 7-6, 6-4 victory and moving into his third ATP quarter-final. Shang sealed the deal in an hour and 38 minutes, prevailing in a tight opener and emerging at the top with a late break in set number two.
Ben fired 13 aces but struggled on the second serve, playing against four break points and losing serve two times.
Shang controlled the pace behind the initial shot nicely, losing 18 points in 11 games and suffering the only break while serving for the opening set at 6-5.
They stayed neck and neck in the shortest exchanges up to four strokes. Juncheng built a slight advantage in the mid-range and most extended ones, doing enough to seal the deal in straight sets and remain on the title course.
The encounter kicked off with fine holds on both sides, and a teenager landed a powerful serve in the fourth game for 2-2. The Chinese held at love in game six and made the first push on the return in the next one. Shelton netted a forehand and experienced a break point at 3-3, denying it with a booming serve and closing the game with a winner at the net.
Juncheng produced a fine hold in game ten for 5-5, extending the set and raising his level on the return in the next one. The Chinese created a break chance and stole the rival’s serve after the American’s wayward forehand, moving 6-5 in front and serving for the set.
Ben Shelton fell in the Atlanta second round while Frances Tiafoe advanced.
After five comfortable holds, Shang struggled in game 12 and faced break points after sending a forehand long.
The young gun sprayed another error, losing serve and allowing his rival to introduce a tie break. Shelton led 4-2 before spraying a forehand error in the eighth point, bringing Shang back to 4-4. Juncheng created a set point at 6-5, and Ben denied it with a powerful serve and a smash winner.
The home player played a wayward forehand in the 13th point, falling 7-6 behind and missing a backhand in the next one, allowing the Chinese to claim the opener in 55 minutes. They exchanged holds at love at the beginning of the second set, and Shang produced another fine hold at 1-1 after Shelton’s loose backhand.
A left-hander levelled the score at 2-2 with a booming serve and landed an ace two games later for 3-3.
Ben closed the eighth game after a deuce, and Juncheng did the same in the next one, moving 5-4 in front and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Shang shifted into a higher gear on the return in the tenth game, extending the rally in the third point and generating three match points with a forehand winner. The American played a terrible volley on the second, losing serve and propelling his opponent into the next round.
The 3rd seed Frances Tiafoe took down Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and five minutes. They fired 32 aces and stayed neck and neck, with Frances taking three points more than his rival. The American dominated with his first serve and struggled behind the second.
Still, he saved three out of four break points and grabbed two breaks from six opportunities, enough to seal the deal in three sets. Aslan wasted a break chance early in the opener and suffered a break in game five to fall behind.
Tiafoe served well to open a 5-3 advantage and created two set points on the return in game nine. The Russian denied them and reached a deuce on the return in the next one before the American converted the fifth set point for 6-4.
Karatsev broke Tiafoe in the second game of the second set and held in the next one for 3-0. Frances denied two break points in the fourth game and created an opportunity on the return at 2-4. Aslan denied it and held at love in game nine to wrap up the set and force a decider.
Tiafoe made a fresh start, serving well in the final set and making the difference with a break in game four. The American sealed the deal on his serve in the ninth game, moving over the top and entering the quarter-final.
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