Shelton reaches Cincinnati QFs, faces Zverev next

Cincinnati, Aug 15 (IANS) Ben Shelton continued his red-hot streak at the Cincinnati Open, where he ousted Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

The 22-year-old became the first American man to reach the last eight in Canada and Cincinnati in the same season since Mardy Fish in 2012.

In a warm conditions in Cincy, Shelton’s booming serve raced through the court. The lefty dropped just six points behind his first delivery, including a 141 mph ace when serving out the match. He crucially broke Lehecka’s serve at 4-4 in each set and the fifth seed advanced after one hour, 21 minutes, ATP reports.

"I'm hungry. I'm in a good rhythm. I'm playing good tennis and my body feels good. I think the confidence along with not being satisfied, wanting to prove myself over and over every time that I'm out on the court, and having things that I want to get better at is a huge motivation for me and it pushes me every match," Shelton, who is on nine-match winning streak, said.

Shelton has not dropped a set across three matches this tournament. The three-time tour-level titlist is determined to keep raising his level.

“Tennis is a game that’s not about perfection. You lose almost every week you play. You lose almost half the points you play. For me, I’m just trying to find those one-percents, get a little bit better every day," Shelton said. "I love playing here in Cincinnati, so it’s a huge opportunity for me to compete against some of the best players in the world.”

Shelton will next aim for his maiden win against third seed Alexander Zverev, who leads the American 3-0 in their ATP Head-to-Head series, including two meetings this year. If Shelton defeats Zverev, it would also guarantee his Top 5 debut in the ATP Rankings.

--IANS

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