Tommy Paul advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open with a hard-fought victory over fellow American Ben Shelton, securing a 7-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 win. This marks Paul’s first grand slam semifinal appearance, and he will face either Novak Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, or Andrey Rublev, the world No. 6.
Paul, ranked No. 35 in whole the world, is set to rise into the top 20 for the first time in his career. He is also the first American man to reach the Australian Open semifinals since Andy Roddick in 2009.
Reflecting on his achievement, Paul noted the importance of playing on Rod Laver Arena for the first time and the milestone of reaching the last four in a grand slam. “Making it to the second weekend of a slam is everyone’s dream when they start playing tennis,” Paul said.
Shelton, who is only 20 and was competing in just his second grand slam after debuting at the US Open in late 2022, also impressed in Melbourne.
Despite having never left the US before this year, Shelton’s run to the quarterfinals was remarkable. His current career-high ranking of No. 89 will soon see him move into the top 50.
In their quarterfinal match, Shelton fought hard, particularly in the third set, and delivered 24 aces, including a fastest serve of 220 km/h, and 42 winners. However, his match was marred by inconsistency and 50 unforced errors compared to Paul’s 26, which eventually cost him the match.
This Australian Open has been a breakthrough for American tennis, with Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton joining Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals—a first for US players since 2000.
The 2023 season is shaping up to be a promising one for American tennis, with top players like Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Jessica Pegula, and Coco Gauff leading the charge, and the emergence of Paul and Shelton adds even more excitement to the sport.