Shelton recovers to beat Kokkinakis in sudden death and reach UTS Frankfurt final
The Mountain saved a match point in the fourth quarter before claiming victory
Julien Nouet/Tennis Majors
Ben Shelton came from two quarters to love down to beat Thanasi Kokkinakis in sudden death and claim a place in the final of UTS Frankfurt.
The Mountain looked down and out at the halfway point but recovered brilliantly, saving a match point in the fourth quarter and then pinching the first two points in sudden death for a 9-15, 9-12, 15-13, 12-11, 2-0 victory. It’s his first UTS final.
The American will play either Ugo Humbert, “The Commander” and Lorenzo Musetti, “The Illusionist” in the final, with a win in that one putting him through to the UTS Grand Final.
“I’m not quite sure how I won that one,” said Shelton, who has now won four of his five sudden death matches, the best record in the competition for anyone playing more than three.
“At the half-time break I was about ready to get on the train and get to the next city,. But I found another gear somehow. I had to be tough, dig deep. I felt for a lot of the match he was serving better than me, playing better than me, but when my back was against the wall I was able to play my best tennis.”
Kokkinakis had a chance to finish it off in the fourth quarter when they played out a deciding point but Shelton fired a backhand winner down the line to set up sudden death, which he then went on to win in style.
“He started to play better and I got tired and lost focus,” Kokkinakis explained. “I was up in the third, had a match point in the fourth with a net cord. That one hurt. I loved being a part of this new concept. Definitely worth the trip from Australia. Thanks to Patrick (Mouratoglou) and Jeremy (Chardy) for the opportunity. I would love to be a part of it again.”
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