ATP Tokyo: Shelton to defend first title against Fritz and others in loaded Japan Open draw

American Ben Shelton is set to defend a title for the first time in his career at the Japan Open Tennis Championships 2024, beginning Wednesday (September 25) at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo. Shelton finds himself among the likes of Taylor Fritz, Hubert Hurkacz, and Casper Ruud in the list of seeded colleagues.

Shelton defeated Russian Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the 2023 final to claim his first ATP title. He has entered the fray this year as seed No 8 behind Fritz (1), Hurkacz (2), Ruud (3), Stefanos Tsitsipas (4), Tommy Paul (5), Holger Rune (6), and Frances Tiafoe (7).

The other contenders in the draw include Arthur Fils, Botic van de Zandschulp, Matteo Berrettini, Mariano Navone, Luciano Darderi, Reilly Opelka, Jordan Thompson, Marin Cilic, Kei Nishikori, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Yoshihito Nishioka, and Alejandro Tabilo in the top half.

The bottom half features Matteo Arnaldi, Alexei Popyrin, Tomas Machac, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Christopher O’Connell, Alex Michelsen, Brandon Nakashima, Shintaro Mochizuki, Ugo Humbert, Jack Draper, Mattia Bellucci, and Marcos Giron.

Shelton’s path to title

Ben Shelton will open his title defense against fellow American Opelka, who utilised his protected ranking (PR) to enter the draw.

In the Round of 16, seed No 8 can be up against the winner of the first-round match between Argentina’s Navone and Italian Darderi. He’s on a collision course with Fritz/Fils/Van de Zandschulp/Berrettini for the quarterfinals.

For the semi-finals, the 21-year-old is likely to clash with Ruud or Rune, given the two make it to the final four. His potential opponent in the title clash can be anyone from the bottom half of the draw, with Hurkacz, Tsitsipas, and Paul tipped to reach the final.

In his trophy-winning run at the Japan Open Tennis Championships 2023, Shelton downed Japan’s Taro Daniel, Australian Jordan Thompson, seed No 5 Tommy Paul, and compatriot Marcos Giron before the final.

Fritz starts against Fils, Hurkacz draws Giron in opener

No 1 seed Taylor Fritz will start his Tokyo campaign against 20-year-old Arthur Fils, the youngest man in contention at the ATP 500 event. It will be Fritz’s first-ever meeting with Fils on tour. He will face either Italian Matteo Berrettini and Dutch Botic van de Zandschulp if he reaches the second round.

Fritz notably triumphed in Tokyo in 2022, when he defeated fellow American Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in the intense concluding match.

Hubert Hurkacz, heading the bottom half of the draw, has drawn Marcos Giron from the United States in the first round. The Pole holds a 2-0 advantage over Giron in terms of the head-to-head.

If Hurkacz beats Giron, his second opponent in the tournament can either be Britain’s Jack Draper or qualifier Mattia Belluci.