Ben Shelton beats Tommy Paul to reach Paris Masters semifinal
Shelton won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 under the Plenitude Arena roof as Frances Tiafoe clinched an ATP Finals debut spot.
Ben Shelton reached his first Paris Masters semifinal by beating Tommy Paul. Frances Tiafoe claimed the final ATP Finals singles spot for Turin.
Key takeaways
- Shelton won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 against Paul in Paris.
- Shelton converted two of four break points and hit 19 aces.
- Shelton's 44th tour-level win of the season set a personal best.
- Tiafoe will make his ATP Finals debut in Turin.
- Shelton will face Luca Van Assche or Rinky Hijikata next.
Ben Shelton won an all-American matchup against Tommy Paul on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Paris Masters for the first time.
Shelton advanced with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win under the roof of the Plenitude Arena after converting two of four break points.
It was his third win in five meetings between the two.
Impact on ATP Finals qualification
The third-seeded Shelton hit 19 aces as he ended Paul's hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals scheduled in Turin from November 15 to 22.
As a result, another American player, Frances Tiafoe, clinched his spot and will make his debut at the season-ending tournament.
There is only one singles spot up for grabs at the Finals, with top-ranked Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli and Arthur Fils having already qualified.
If Taylor Fritz defeats Alcaraz to reach the Paris Masters semifinals later Friday, he will join them in Turin.
If he loses, Rafael Jodar will take part in the elite gathering instead.
Season record and quote
It was Shelton's 44th tour-level victory of the season, improving his personal-best win tally following his 42 wins in 2024.
"Frances has had an outstanding year. One of my best friends, and to see him make Turin for the first time is amazing," Shelton said.
"I'm super happy for him, and obviously we have had a lot of Americans competing for that spot. It's been a big year from all of us, and it's cool that we are all in the mix."
What happens next
Shelton will next be up against either Frenchman Luca Van Assche or qualifier Rinky Hijikata.
Key season figures
Figure | Value |
|---|---|
Shelton tour-level wins in 2025 | 44 |
Shelton wins in 2024 | 42 |
Shelton wins over Paul in five meetings | 3 |
ATP Finals dates in Turin | November 15 to 22 |
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