Shelton-Tiafoe: A DC Open Popcorn Match That Delivered

Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton (photo: Wick Photography/Mubadala Citi DC Open)

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Both Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe know that a good week at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., no matter how much time is spent on the court and under often hot and humid conditions, means this: if you keep winning, you keep playing every day.

After opening-round byes, both the World No. 8 Shelton and World No. 11 Tiafoe garnered two straight wins to set up an all-American quarterfinal Friday evening at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, their first time facing each other in Washington, D.C.

Although the sold-out crowd of 7,500 that filled Stadium Court conveyed their appreciation for both popular players, they especially showed their love for the local Maryland-born Tiafoe, 27, who has been a popular favorite at the DC Open for the past nine years.

Shelton (26-15 in 2025), the former NCAA champion from the University of Florida, came in leading their head-to-head 2-1 – although Tiafoe (20-16) won their most recent match, a five-set thriller at last year’s US Open – and both players reached the DC Open semifinals last year.

In their respective attempts to become the third American man to reaching the Washington, D.C. Semifinals in consecutive years this century, after Andre Agassi (2001-04) and Steve Johnson (2015-16), it was the 22-year-old Shelton who won with equal parts power and ruthlessness over Tiafoe, 7-6 (2), 6-4. He sealed the victory with his ninth ace of the match – a rocket blast up the middle – for game, set and match. 

Both gifted entertainers, Shelton and Tiafoe began the week as doubles teammates but ended the week as competitors. Still, they shared a warm embrace at the net. All was good between these two friends, who created a great atmosphere and delivered wonderful memories on a mid-summer’s evening in the nation’s capital city.

Shelton struck 29 winners to 19 unforced errors, won 90 percent of his first-serve points, converted two of 10 break points and outpointed Tiafoe 79-67. By comparison, Tiafoe finished with 20 winners to 28 unforced errors, won 75 percent of his first-serve points and converted the only break-point chance afforded him.

“We know tennis is a long journey. We’re going to play each other a bunch of times,” Shelton said during his on-court interview. “Especially, we’ve already played on the hard courts, we’ve already played twice at the US Open and he beat me the most recent time. It’s tough not to cheer for a guy like that.”

Later, during his post-match news conference, Shelton added: “I just want to be in contention for tournaments, want to play my best tennis on the weekends, so, you know, tomorrow and Sunday for sure, if I get there.”

Tiafoe was in a reflective mood during his post-match news conference. “Ultimately, yeah, I really want to win this event every year,”  he said. “Every year that kind of goes by, it’s another year that goes by, another year older.

“I just want to get over the line and get it done, what that will look like, what that will feel like.”

Next for the Shelton is No. 12 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, who upset American No. 1 and top seed Taylor Fritz of the United States, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5, in three hours and four minutes early Saturday morning on Stadium Court. Davidovich Fokina beat Fritz for the fourth time in seven meetings, this time in a match that didn’t finish until 1:45 a.m. local time.

Davidovich Fokina tied Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime for second-most hard court wins this season with 17, and became the fifth man to reach 5-plus tour-level semifinals this season. Fritz came in looking to reach his 38th tour-level semifinal – 14th on American soil – but the Spaniard broke him as he served for the match at 5-3 in the decider. Then, Davidovich Fokina went on to win the next three games to advance to his first Washington, D.C. semifinal.

Afterward, an exhausted but proud Davidovich Fokina, who withstood 20 aces and 42 winners from Fritz, said: “Today I was serving for the match, I was two points down from going to the locker room and go to Toronto. I am very happy how I fought for today.”

De Minaur sets up semifinal with Moutet

Earlier Friday, World No. 13 Alex de Minaur became the first man this season to record 20 hard court wins, highlighted by his run to Rotterdam final in February. The Australian No. 1 is the only former finalist left – albeit, seven years removed from losing to Alexander Zverev in the 2018 DC Open final at age 19 – after defeating No. 14 seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States, 6-4, 6-4, in one hour and 35 minutes on John Harris Court.

De Minaur’s victory denied Nakashima from reaching his fourth career tour-level semifinal on American soil. He collected his 33rd win overall by hitting 21 winners – including six aces – against just 14 unforced errors, converted four of six break points and outpointed Nakashima 70-52. 

“That was some serious thunder,” de Minaur said afterward, during a TV interview with Tennis Channel, pointing at both the weather delay that interrupted the match as well as a series of backhand passing shot winners that Nakashima stunned de Minaur. “I was kind of hoping for a routine game to serve it out but he came out with three absolute blinders. Honestly, the only thing I could do was to have a chuckle to myself and just say ‘too good,’ right? I’m extremely happy I was able to get through those tough moments and my serve helped me out big time.” 

Meanwhile, 2019 DC finalist Daniil Medvedev took on 59th-ranked French lucky loser Corentin Moutet, who became the third lucky loser to reach the quarterfinals in men’s DC Open history after Peter Gojowczyk and Norbert Gombos in 2019. A win against the World No. 14 and eighth seed Medvedev, would lift the Frenchman into the biggest semifinal of his career and give him his third Top-20 victory of the season – and Moutet did just that.

Moutet returned from a 58-minute match suspension due to lightening in the Rock Creek Park area and took advantage of three double faults in Medvedev’s final service game to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes. The victory advanced him to his first semifinal above ATP 250 level. It leveled his head-to-head against Medvedev to 1-1.

Medvedev, who took a medical time out during the seventh game of the second set due to heat stress, finished with 10 double faults, compared to just four aces, and despite hitting 34 winners he committed 43 unforced errors. Moutet hit 22 winners to 29 unforced errors and converted three of seven break points. Medvedev outpointed Moutet 85-79.

“I’m very happy, of course,” said Moutet, who improved to 19-14 with his quarterfinal triumph and it denied Medvedev from reaching his 50th career hard-court semifinal. “It was such tough conditions. Very hot, very humid. It was a big battle, and I’m happy to win this match. Yeah, it was very intense.”

At DC Open, Fernandez keeps doing her job the best she can

Imagine this, you’re faced with having to play singles against your former doubles partner. Seem cruel? Well, it happens from time to time, and on Friday, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez took on Taylor Townsend of the United States on John Harris Court for a berth in Saturday’s semifinals. 

A day earlier, both Fernandez and Townsend packed the 3,000-seat second show court at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, for their respective second-round matches. First, the 97th-ranked Townsend, who qualified for the main draw, came on strong to upset No. 6 seed Sofia Kenin of the United States, 6-3, 6-0. Then, the 36th-ranked Fernandez overcame a second-set drop in her levels and rallied to upset World No. 4 and top seed Jessica Pegula of the United States, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

Afterward, Fernandez was asked how she would approach playing Townsend, whom she teamed together with during the 2023 season and compiled a 19-8 win-loss record – including reaching the final at Roland-Garros.

“It’s going to be a tough battle, not only tennis-wise but also mentally and emotionally. I think it’s just a game. It’s the competition,” Fernandez said during a post-match meeting with reporters Thursday after her win against Kenin. 

“So, I’m just glad we are both in the quarterfinals, and I just have to focus on my own game, see what I need to do, what’s the game plan, and try to execute it as much as possible.”

As for Townsend, who currently has a better doubles ranking (she will rise to World No. 1 next week) than singles, she said: “I’m in the position where right now I’m grinding, trying to get my singles ranking up, so going from one tournament to the next tournament to the next tournament to the next tournament, basically playing every day, and it’s part of it. But I’m happy to do it. …

“I know that I’m a great tennis player,” she added. “I know my capabilities and my abilities, and my journey has just been different than others. … It’s made me who I am and it’s made me appreciate every step of the way, and being able to have somebody say, externally, like ‘You look so happy playing,’ that’s a win.”

As it happened, both Fernandez and Townsend battled through the hottest day of the tournament – with Washington, D.C. temperatures reaching 97º Fahrenheit (35º Celsius) but feeling well over 100º on the court – and the 22-year-old Canadian, who was beset with leg cramps in the second set, came out on top with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory in two hours and 20 minutes to reach her eighth career tour-level semifinal – and first since Hong Kong last year. Fernandez hit 31 winners, converted five of 23 break points and outpointed Townsend 89-82.

“It was definitely an adventure,” Fernandez told reporters afterward. “I think this was the first time I have had to go through this, and for myself I’m proud that I was able to stay mentally tough and just kind of hear the crowd cheering me on, hear my team telling me to keep going for points, keep fighting. It was definitely an adventure for myself.”

Next, Fernandez will face her second Top-20 opponent of the week, World No. 12 and third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who defeated No. 5 seed Magdalena Frech of Poland, 6-3, 6-3, in one hour and 19 minutes on Stadium Court. Rybakina, who is making her main-draw debut in Washington, D.C. this week, has not dropped a set in her two wins. She struck 36 winners and saved all three break points she faced from Frech. She outpointed her opponent 68-48.

Also advancing to Saturday’s semifinals was No. 46 Emma Raducanu of Great Britain, who reached her first WTA Tour semifinal since Nottingham last year – and first one on a hard court since Seoul in 2022 – with her 6-4, 7-5 victory over 90th-ranked wild card Maria Sakkari of Greece, who was celebrating her 30th birthday Friday.

Raducanu’s victory over Sakkari was her fourth in four career meetings – including her third on a hard court. Trailing 5-2 in the second set, the 22-year-old British No. 2 won five straight games to close out the victory. She overcame 28 unforced errors to hit 15 winners – including seven aces – and converted five of 13 break-points chances. She outpointed Sakkari 89-77.

“I’m really pleased to have come through that match,” Raducanu said during her post-match news conference. “Maria, she actually is playing amazing tennis. She’s finding form. I think the conditions really suit her.

“So, I’m just really pleased with how I toughed it out and I fought through that.”

Raducanu was asked by a reporter to describe how challenging it was to battle both a tough opponent and the summer heat.

“Yeah, I think I would like to say I’m pretty good in the heat, for the most part, but I was really struggling today. And I think also the fact that Maria, she was so fresh, she was out of the chair before the time was out, is just a testament to how fit she is, which was pretty incredible,” she said.

Smiling as she spoke, Raducanu added: “It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I have ever played in. I don’t know. Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly. Yeah, I’m just happy I could close it out and it was two sets.”

Next, Raducanu will face No. 48 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia, who reached her second DC Open semifinal – and first since 2019 – after defeating No. 4 seed Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 7-5, in one hour and 35 minutes on John Harris Court, behind 32 winners and six break-point conversions. It was Kalinskaya’s 20th career win against a Top-20 player and it avenged a straight-set loss to Tauson at Wimbledon. It will be the first meeting between Raducanu and Kalinskaya.

American men have shown strong this week in Washington, D.C.

What began at the top of the week with 16 Americans among the 48-player ATP 500 singles draw at this year’s DC Open, narrowed down to four quarterfinalists – have of the last eight – with top seed Taylor Fritz, No. 4 seed Ben Shelton, No. 6 seed Frances Tiafoe and No. 14 seed Brandon Nakashima. 

During his post-match news conference Thursday, after defeating 2024 DC Open finalist Flavio Cobolli of Italy, Tiafoe was asked about the growth of American men’s tennis.

“I think the guys I grew up with are super solid, man. Then, you know, with the likes of Ben as well, much younger. It’s an incredible group,” Tiafoe said. “We have young guys playing well. Learner (Tien), (Alex) Michelsen, really good, Tracy Austin’s son (Brandon Holt), we got a lot of good guys. Kova (Aleks Kovacevic), who I just played. Beating guys out here.

“American tennis is in a great spot. And we have been knocking on the door for a while. I don’t think this is something new. Semis the last two, three years. Korda, bunch of years in a row. Ben’s going deep in slams. Fritz going deep in slams. Tommy’s (Tommy Paul) going deep in slams.

“Not really surprising. Now you look at the slams, someone is going to be there at least pushing quarters, semifinals, Fritz was the one final. So it’s been good.”

Shelton was also asked about the depth of American men’s tennis after he defeated Gabriel Diallo of Canada Thursday to reach the quarterfinal round against Tiafoe.

“I think the success in American tennis is evident right now, and there’s a lot of names doing great things in tournaments,” he said. “Seems to be, like, different people all the time. If you look at the last, you know, six slams, it’s been a combination of guys who have been in the quarters or semis or made a deep run, whether it’s me and Fritz or Tommy and Foe or Fritz and Tommy or Foe and Fritz. That’s how it’s been on the men’s side.”

Around the DC Open

• In men’s doubles, Great Britain’s Neal Skupski and John-Patrick Smith of Australia advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round after rallying to defeat No. 4 seeds Yuki Bhambri of India and Michael Venus of New Zealand, 3-6, 6-4, 10-7, in one hour and 33 minutes on John Harris Court. In the semifinals, Skupski and Smith will face No. 1 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy. The other semifinal will match No. 3 seeds Hugo Nys of Monaco and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France against Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina.

• In women’s doubles, Americans Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin upset No. 1 seeds Asia Muhammad of the United States and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in one hour and 37 minutes to advance to Saturday’s final, while the second semifinal went to No. 2 seeds Taylor Townsend of the United States and Zhang Shuai of China, who won by retirement over Emma Raducanu of Great Britain and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, ahead 4-1 after 19 minutes. The reason given for the retirement was due to Raducanu suffering from a headache.

Friday’s DC Open men’s results

Friday’s DC Open women’s results

Saturday’s DC Open order of play

By the numbers

Emma Raducanu has reached her first WTA Tour singles semifinal since Nottingham last year – and first one on a hard court since Seoul in 2022.

“Quotable …”

“It’s going to be amazing. There’s so many learnings from here. I know exactly what I need to work on, where I can improve. The good news is I’m always in control of the point. The important part is to put the ball in. So this is one thing I didn’t do today.

“Was I in control? Absolutely. Will I be in control of most of my matches? Most likely, yes. That’s the place I want to be, so I’m putting myself in that position. That’s what counts.”

– Venus Williams, 45, during her post-match news conference Thursday night, reflecting on her second-round loss to No. 5 seed Magdalena Frech. It was announced Thursday that Williams has been awarded a wild card for next month’s WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open, so her four-matches-in-four-days DC Open appearance – two singles matches and two doubles matches –was not a one-and-done deal.

 

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