Tennis-Shelton tops Tiafoe on sweltering night in Washington

Jul 25, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Ben Shelton (USA) hits a forehand against Frances Tiafoe (USA)(not pictured) in a men's singles quarter-final of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

(Reuters) -Ben Shelton beat fellow American Frances Tiafoe 7-6(2) 6-4 in an electrifying match at the Washington Open on Friday to advance to the semifinals on a day marked by suffocating humidity in the nation's capital.

Shelton blasted an ace on match point to seal the win and avenge his five-set loss to Tiafoe at last year's U.S. Open as the 22-year-old continues to make strides in his breakout season.