Shelton and Fritz Secure Wins as US Open Kicks Off in New York
The US Open commenced on August 27, 2023, marking a historic first Sunday start for the tournament. American players Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz both secured comfortable victories in their first-round matches, advancing confidently to the next stage.
In the opening match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the sixth-seeded Shelton showcased his skill by defeating qualifier Ignacio Buse with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. In his on-court interview, Shelton expressed his growing connection to the venue, stating, “It’s starting to feel like home for me. This is the best court in tennis, my favorite place to play, favorite tournament.”
Fritz, seeded fourth, faced a tougher challenge but ultimately triumphed over fellow American Emilio Nava with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 at Louis Armstrong Stadium. This marks the first major tournament since 2007 to feature two American men seeded in the top eight, a notable achievement for US tennis.
Shelton’s victory is particularly impressive considering his recent success. The 22-year-old recently captured his first Masters 1000 title at Toronto, becoming the first American to do so since Andy Roddick in 2003. During that tournament, he managed to win three deciding-set tiebreaks, setting a record for the most by any player in a single Masters 1000 title run.
Despite his lower ace count of just five against Buse, Shelton demonstrated resilience by saving all five break points he faced. His record against unseeded opponents in Grand Slam events is now an impressive 21-0 since the beginning of 2024, placing him second behind Jannik Sinner, who stands at 22-0.
Fritz has been on a hot streak, winning 22 out of his last 27 matches since the conclusion of the French Open. His performance at the US Open is a continuation of his strong form, having reached the finals last year before falling to Sinner.
Both Shelton and Fritz will enjoy a brief respite before their second-round matches on August 30. Shelton is set to face either Pablo Carreno Busta or Pablo Llamas Ruiz, while Fritz will meet the winner of the match between Sebastian Baez and Lloyd Harris.
In other men’s singles results, 18th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain had a commanding win over Russian player Alexander Shevchenko, scoring 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Additionally, Czech player Jakub Mensik, aged 19 and seeded 16th, defeated Nicolas Jarry of Chile with a score of 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-4.
Italian Luciano Darderi, seeded 32nd, dispatched Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in straight sets, while Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech had a tougher match, overcoming Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in four sets, 7-6(2), 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
With the tournament now in full swing, the performances of Shelton and Fritz signal a promising path for American tennis as they aim for deeper runs in this prestigious event.
