Shelton sets third-round blockbuster with Tiafoe at US Open

Ben Shelton, the No 13 seed, moved into the third round of the US Open by winning against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in New York on Wednesday.

The American looked sharp in this second outing at Flushing Meadows, particularly on serve, with 17 aces and just two break points faced over the course of the two-hour, eight-minute match.

He will now face a rematch of last year’s quarter-finals in the third round, with the in-form No 20 seed Frances Tiafoe waiting.

After the match, Shelton was asked his thoughts on the upcoming blockbuster:

“I didn’t know,” he confessed on court. “I’m not someone who usually looks at the draw early in advance. You guys made this draw exciting early in the week, huh?

“I’m really looking forward to it. We had a battle in the quarters here last year. I’m sure it’ll be another popcorn type match. I hope you guys come out again on Friday. I’m looking forward to another one. We gotta bring the energy again. Let’s get it.”

Shelton holds a 2-0 head-to-head against Tiafoe, but the latter has won seven of his last eight matches, having made the final of Cincinnati in the lead-in to New York.

Should Shelton defeat Tiafoe, the prize would be a likely round-of-16 clash against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic – a repeat of the pair’s 2023 US Open semi-finals.

In the previous round of the US Open, the 21-year-old American beat Austrian wildcard Dominic Thiem (6-4, 6-2, 6-2).

Bautista Agut, ranked No 67, won against Italian Luca Nardi (7-5, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)) in the first round of the US Open.

New York (Grand Slam), other second-round results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 75.000.000, most recent results first):

• Carlos Alcaraz vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
• Fabian Marozsan vs. Daniil Medvedev
• Max Purcell vs. Tommy Paul
• Mariano Navone vs. Daniel Evans
• Tristan Schoolkate vs. Jakub Mensik
• Arthur Fils vs. Gabriel Diallo
• Alex De Minaur vs. Otto Virtanen
• David Goffin vs. Adrian Mannarino
• Facundo Diaz Acosta vs. Jack Draper
• Flavio Cobolli vs. Zizou Bergs
• Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Nuno Borges
• Jannik Sinner vs. Alex Michelsen
• Jordan Thompson vs. Hubert Hurkacz
• Matteo Arnaldi vs. Roman Safiullin
• Tomas Machac vs. Sebastian Korda
• Mattia Bellucci vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Laslo Djere vs. Novak Djokovic
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Taylor Fritz
• Casper Ruud vs. Gael Monfils
• Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Lorenzo Musetti: wednesday
• Alexei Popyrin (28) beat Pedro Martinez Portero: 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
• Juncheng Shang beat Roberto Carballes Baena: 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (2)
• Francisco Comesana beat Ugo Humbert (17): 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
• Andrey Rublev (6) beat Arthur Rinderknech: 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
• Frances Tiafoe beat Alexander Shevchenko: 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 ret.
• Alexander Zverev (4) beat Alexandre Muller (WC): 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1
• Brandon Nakashima beat Arthur Cazaux: 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Sebastian Baez (21): 6-1, 2-0 ret.
• Grigor Dimitrov (9) beat Rinky Hijikata: 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
• Jiri Lehecka (32) beat Mitchell Krueger (Q): 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Francisco Cerundolo (29): 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3