By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Photograph credit score: Matthew Calvis
Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz are creating glory days for American tennis in Toronto tonight.
When US Open finalist Fritz faces former US Open semifinalist Shelton for a spot within the Nationwide Financial institution Open closing it marks the primary all-American ATP Masters 1000 semifinal since Andy Roddick defeated former roommate Mardy Fish within the 2010 Cincinnati semifinal.
It’s the second assembly between the pair, who’re the 2 most probably gamers to interrupt an American males’s Grand Slam singles drought and change into the primary U.S. man since Roddick in 2003 to seize a serious singles crown.
“No stress, undoubtedly motivation,” Shelton stated of that quest. “I’ve little doubt that one among us goes to get it sooner or later. Who is aware of who it’s, you guys simply bought to attend and see. I feel American tennis is in a very good place.”
Whereas Fritz and Shelton lead a solid of seven American males ranked contained in the Prime 35, the seventh-ranked lefthander stated his one and solely option to associate within the upcoming US Open Blended Doubles match was WTA doubles world No. 1 Taylor Townsend.
“She’s one of the best feminine doubles participant on the planet,” Shelton stated of Townsend. “She’s one of the best combined doubles participant on the planet, for my part.
“I used to be fortunate to get her as a associate. I don’t know if anybody else talked to her, she informed me that the one particular person she would play with is me, and I informed her that the one particular person I might play with is her.”
Larger-profile names, together with Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner and Elena Rybakina and Fritz command consideration within the new US Open Blended Doubles format set for Fan Week. But, don’t sleep on Shelton and Townsend, who partnered one other American left-hander, Donald Younger, to the 2024 US Open Blended Doubles closing the place they misplaced to Sara Errani and Andrea Vavasorri 7-6(0), 7-5 final September.
Townsend and reigning Olympic gold-medal combined doubles champion Katerina Siniakova are reigning Australian Open doubles champions. That title got here months after Townsend and Siniakova gained the 2024 Wimbledon doubles championship.
In New York, the left-handers might effectively play throwback combined doubles attacking internet greater than most. Shelton stated he’s pumped to associate Townsend.
“So I used to be uncertain about enjoying the week earlier than the US Open, the pre-week is basically busy, it’s a tough week, lots of obligations,” Shelton stated. “However I’m excited, and in the end, after I noticed the record of all the highest gamers who needed to play, it was one thing I needed to be part of.”
