Defending champion Ben Shelton advanced to the National Bank Open quarterfinals on Sunday night in Montreal, defeating 19-year-old Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca 6-3, 7-6 (3) at IGA Stadium, according to Sportsnet.ca reporting.
Shelton Dominates Early Stages Against Fonseca
Fifth-seeded Ben Shelton secured his spot in his seventh career ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal after putting 71 percent of his first serves in play and firing serves that reached up to 230 kilometres per hour, as reported by Sportsnet.ca. According to the same reporting, the American lefty broke Fonseca during a grueling 19-minute game late in the first set to pull ahead 5-3, subsequently capturing the frame with a forehand winner down the line.
Fonseca Fights Back Despite Injury Scare
Joao Fonseca responded in the second set by winning the first three games after breaking Shelton with a deft lob, backed by vocal supporters chanting his name inside IGA Stadium, according to Sportsnet.ca. During the set, the 22nd-seeded Brazilian appeared to twist his right ankle while jumping to defend a smash on a break point. Shelton immediately capitalized to break back, leveled the score at 3-3, and eventually forced a tiebreak. Shelton dominated the tiebreak 7-3 to seal the match in straight sets.
Quarterfinal Outlook in Montreal
At No. 10 in the world, Shelton stands as the highest-ranked singles player remaining in the Montreal tournament following several early exits and withdrawals among top seeds, according to Sportsnet.ca. Shelton will face the winner of Sunday’s late match between Czechia’s Jakub Mensik and Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Earlier on Sunday, American Learner Tien advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, setting up a clash against Spain’s Daniel Merida Aguilar.