Shelton downs Fritz to reach first Masters 1000 final in Toronto

Toronto, Aug 7 (IANS) Ben Shelton upstaged higher-ranked compatriot Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday night in Toronto to muscle his way into his first ATP Masters 1000 final at the Canadian Open on Thursday (IST).

Improving to 26-1 this season after winning the first set, the World No. 7 combined an expected service masterclass with a surprising baseline assault on return to declaw Fritz, who had dropped serve just once in his previous three matches heading into the semifinals, ATP reports.

The match started with a flurry of break point opportunities, five for Shelton and two for Fritz, but the set remained on serve. Shelton would get another chance in the ninth game and this time he converted, setting himself up to serve out the set.

The American No. 2 kept up the pressure in the second and was rewarded with a break to go up 3-2. With the way he was serving, the result seemed inevitable. Fritz never had another break point after the second game of the first set and Shelton punched his ticket to his first Masters 1000 final with another break in the final game.

Shelton claimed his 100th tour-level win earlier in the tournament and will move to a career-high No. 6 ahead of Novak Djokovic if he defeats Karen Khachanov in the final.

Earlier in the day, Khachanov saved a match point in a nervy and error-strewn 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) victory over top seed Alexander Zverev to reach the final.

For nearly three hours, the two big men exchanged body blows from the baseline in long, gruelling rallies. Each of the first two sets saw just a single break-point opportunity, which was converted. Khachanov broke for a 3-1 lead in the first set but then was broken trying to stay alive in the second at 4-5.

The 2018 Paris Masters champion had two chances to break early in the decider but could not convert. He then had to save a match point on his own serve in the 12th game before sending it to a tiebreak. From 1-3 down, Khachanov was five straight points and converted his second match point to reach his second Masters 1000 final.

--IANS

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