Shelton defeats Tiafoe in Houston tournament final

(Paris) American Ben Shelton won the ATP tournament in Houston on Sunday, beating his compatriot Frances Tiafoe relatively easily.

Shelton, 16^e world and first seed of this ATP 250 tournament on clay, dominated Tiafoe, 21^e world and seeded N.3, thanks in particular to 11 aces, even if he also committed 8 double faults.

He won on 1^er set 7-5 by managing to make the break in the last game, but Tiafoe in turn managed to take the advantage in the 2^e set breaking from 3^e game and win 6-4.

In the 3^e set, Shelton broke at 4^e game to lead 3-1 then 4-1 by winning his service thanks to his 11^e ace.

Tiafoe came back to 5-3 thanks to a shutout on his serve, but his opponent concluded victoriously in the next game to win 6-3 also on a shutout.

This was the second meeting between the two Americans after a quarter-final at the 2023 US Open which had already seen Shelton’s victory.

At 21, he signed his second victory in an ATP tournament after the Tokyo tournament last year. He also reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2023, losing to Novak Djokovic.