Thank you for joining me for that scintillating day of tennis. Join us tomorrow for all the reaction to today’s matches and the on-court happenings of day six.
Shelton gets huge applause as he leaves the court and, because the night session has already been delayed, Tiafoe only gets to answer one question in front of the New York City crowd on Arthur Ashe.
Ben is an incredible player. He really is. He goes for all kind of shots. It is really annoying. He has a great serve and he is so talented. We are both good players. I hope you guys enjoyed the show.
Tiafoe will face either Alexei Popyrin or the defending champion, Novak Djokovic, in the next round.
Tiafoe smashes it to take it 40-15 and we are at match point … But Shelton saves. The level of tennis that is being produced is at another level and everyone is on the edge of their seat as Tiafoe serves. It is good and a short rally ends with a fantastic volley at the net. Big Foe wins it!
The greeting at the net could not be filled with more respect and admiration between the two Americans. But 12 months after he lost this match up, Tiafoe goes through to the fourth round, beating Shelton for the very first time in his career.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 3-5 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Everytime it seems Shelton is done, he brings out that powerful serve. He can hit it wide, hit it on the T and it has saved him so many times in this match. He uses that serve to get to 40-15 but Tiafoe hits a rapid forehand winner to make it 40-30. But Shelton holds after Tiafoe hits it long.
We are now at the four-hour mark. Can Shelton break to stay in the match?
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 2-5 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) What a service game from Tiafoe! He goes up 40-0 and Shelton can’t get a sniff as the older American sees out the game. Shelton may as well not have had the racquet in his hand for that game.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 2-4 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Shelton is trying his best to stay resilient here. He hits his 20th and 21st ace of the match. “Go forward, but be ready for the forehand,” encourages coach/dad.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-4 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Tiafoe seems to be sensing it is his time. At 40-15, Shelton’s backhand return is long and the older American takes a 4-1 lead in the fifth set.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-3 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Break for Tiafoe! He takes it after Shelton threw absolutely everything at him and finishes it off with an overhead volley. The crowd are loving it, clearly having a favourite.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-2 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) A third party has joined the game on Arthur Ashe. A bug of some kind wants the best seat in the house but a ballperson moves him aside.
Shelton goes up 30-15 after Tiafoe’s crosscourt goes wide and the older American nets before being unable to deal with his opponents forehand. Can Shelton break here? Tiafoe hits his third ace of the match to make it 40-30 and then Shelton’s wild forehand takes it to deuce. Tiafoe takes a breather and then sees out the game.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 1-1 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Two aces from Shelton and it seems no nonsense from him. But Tiafoe is playing at such a high level that it is still hard to call. “Slow rhythm on the backhand return,” his coach/dad tells him after he takes the game.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 0-1 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Does Big Foe have the momentum now? Great volley from him to take the first game of the fifth set.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-6 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Shelton starts with a double fault and then misqueues the forehand but finds a point after Tiafoe nets a backhand. Shelton then saves two set points, the second with a pinpoint forehand.
Tiafoe takes advantage after Shelton’s forehand is long and then it his backhand that goes out. Tiafoe breaks in the final game of the set and we go to a fifth!
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 4-5 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Ouch! Shelton almost slides into the stand that is underneath the umpire’s chair but the ballperson has likely saves him from a nasty injury. Shelton asks them if they are OK but they seem to be finding the funny side of it. Shelton’s two-footed tackle doesn’t get him to Tiafoe’s drop shot and the older American takes the game. No break in this set yet!
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 3-4 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Tiafoe with an unreal forehand winner to take the game and the New York City crowd could not be any louder as he beckons to them for support.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 3-3 Tiafoe (*denotes server) We are just over the three-hour mark. Tiafoe hits a lightning return down the line for a break point but Sheldon hits one of those powerful serves. The younger American saves another break point and then hits an ace before hitting a blistering forehand on the line for the game. A ballperson gets hits with that final shot but they seem to be OK.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 2-3 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Neither player is giving the other a millimeter over here. At 30-30 all, Shelton hits a backhand long and Tiafoe hits a backhand crosscourt shot that Sheldon misses.
Not the best game from Rublev but he is through to the round of 16. He looked a bit tired at times, given his long five-set match in the previous round.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 1-1 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Tiafoe takes the first game of the third set and gets to 30-30 on Sheldon’s serve in the second game. But Shelton manages to tie it up 1-1 after crosscourt shot.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5) Tiafoe (*denotes server) Shelton gets the tie-break with an ace, Tiafoe then hits out and then the younger American hits a fantastic return to give the younger American an early 3-0 lead. He continues with a forehand winner and his coach/dad shouts “great forehand winner”. Clearly something they have been working on. Tiafoe is crumbling here after hitting a lob to give Shelton a 5-0 lead and then another winner. Tiafoe shakes his head before he finally gets on the board and then breaks to make it 6-2 after Shelton hits it wide.
Forehand then long by Shelton … Have we seen a comeback from 6-0 in a tie-break before on Arthur Ashe? Not sure but Tiafoe has cut the lead to 6-4 after Shelton hits it long and then it is only one point between them after the younger American hits another forehand long …. what is happening?
Shelton, with huge pressure on his shoulders in this seventh set point, smashes an ace at 143 mph to take the set. That is the fastest serve of the tournament! He really said: “let me stop messing about and end this”. Wow! Wow! WOW!
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 6-6 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Shelton’s forehand is well out, ballooning the ball over the baseline and we go to a tie-break.
Two of America’s finest.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 5-5 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) You can’t separate them. Good serving from the older American to tie it up.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 5-4 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Shelton nets a slicing backhand and his coach (and dad), Bryan Shelton, tells him to use his body more on the serve. He listens and Tiafoe can’t return with the forehand before hitting an ace. But then Tiafoe hits a crosscourt volley. Can he break? No, he nets and we go back to deuce.
Tiafoe then misses a forehand but Shelton’s shot is just out and he can’t take the set. Back to deuce again. Tiafoe hits a great dropshot after Shelton hits one. Can he break now? Now the crowd are fully chanting Tiafoe’s name and a double fault from Shelton gives the current crowd favourite the game.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 5-3 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Yikes, a double fault from Tiafoe means he fails to hold. He looks really unimpressed with himself. Can Big Ben serve out the set?
*Rublev 6-3, 7-5 Lehecka (denotes server) Rublev is one set away from the third round after. A huge difference to his previous match when he had to come from two sets down. Is it smooth sailing for the world No 6 from here?
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 3-3 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Shelton has a break point but he hits a volley straight into the net. He drops his racquet and puts his hand on his hips in disbelief. His second break point comes and … straight into the net. Back to deuce. And Tiafoe manages to hold after Shelton’s forehand goes long.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7, 2-2 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) All tied-up in the third with neither player having broken yet. The excitement has died down a bit here with both players being a bit cautious with their shots.
Rublev 6-3, 3-4 Lehecka* (denotes server) We will turn to Grandstand for a moment. Lehecka has been struggling with Rublev dragging him inwards in an area he isn’t particularly comfortable in. But he deals with the dropshot and then hits a speeding ace at 160 mph to take the game.
Shelton 6-4, 5-7 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Second set goes to Tiafoe! He makes it look easy as he gets to 40-0 and serves out.
*Shelton 6-4, 6-5 Tiafoe (*denotes server) Tiafoe finally breaks! He has been constantly asking Shelton the questions and the American No 2 has had the answers. Not here. It is a sneaky almost drop shot that tricks Shelton and his serve can’t get him out of the mess this time. He serves for the set!
Shelton 6-4, 5-5 Tiafoe* (*denotes server) Tiafoe moves 40-0 ahead with some fantastic shot variation and some good serves. But his backhand goes wide and then Shelton starts limping. Something looks to be wrong with his left ankle? Or left thigh? He continues though and somehow cushions a dink volley into the sideline after fighting a flurry of shots to take the point. But Tiafoe speeding forehand earns him the hold.
*Shelton 6-4, 5-4 Tiafoe (*denotes server) When was the last time Shelton went down 0-40 in back to back service games? But the thing with Shelton is that his serve can still bail him out. He gets on the board after Tiafoe hits it long. And then, wow! He shows great composure with serving getting Tiafoe off the court and then a perfect forehand winner. He sees the game out and holds. Surely Tiafoe is scratching his head, wondering how on earth he did not break.
The American survives the shaky waters against the world No 19. She describes the home crowd giving her “chills” on Louis Armstrong, and loves playing in the city she was born in.
It will be another all-American clash as she faces Coco Gauff next. The two recently played against each other at Wimbledon, a match which Navarro won.
*Shelton 6-4, 4-3 Tiafoe (*denotes server) There is an awkward moment where Shelton almost does the splits and he doesn’t look to comfortable in the rallies. He hits some hard serves, clocking in at 129 mph and again at 139 mph (his fastest of the match) when he is facing break point. His great serving continues and somehow he holds after being 0-40 down in that game.
The world No 24 and quarter-finalist here in 2019 is into the next round after beating her American opponent. She hit eight aces, 21 winners and had a period where she on 14 points in a row. She will play Zheng Qinwen in the next round.
Navarro 6-4, 4-6, 3-3 Kostyuk* (*denotes server) Navarro is forced to hit three smashes to make it 15-15 which shows the level Kostyuk is playing at the moment, even when she is put on the back pedal. We get to deuce after a Navarro shows great balance to hit a lob and after the second deuce, the Ukrainian nets to tie it all up in the third set.
Here is that incredible earlier point from Shelton.
