by Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Swiss Indoors semi-final between Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament history so far.
The semi-finals on Saturday Swiss Indoors The tournament resulted in a delicious encounter Ben Shelton And Arthur Fils.
The friends and double partners fight on the ATP Tour for the third time, with the American desperate to secure a win over the Frenchman after their recent defeat in Tokyo a month ago.
Game preview
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Although Shelton and Fils were eliminated from the doubles competition in Basel on Thursday, both players recorded impressive quarterfinal victories the following day Andrey Rublev And Stefanos Tsitsipasrespectively.
Although the US player was dangerous at times against his Russian opponent and top seed at the ATP 500 event, he saved all six break point chances the 27-year-old conjured up and took advantage of two of them to take a 7-5, 6- 7 to secure (3), 6-4 win in a tight round of 16.
All five break chances thwarted Stanislas Wawrinka The 22-year-old’s second-round draftee’s strong serve and aggressive style ensured he reached the last four in Basel in his first appearance at the event.
Fresh off his fifth career win against a top 10 player, his first since losing at an ATP event Jannik Sinner In Shanghai last year, Shelton is looking to advance to a title shot in Switzerland for a chance at a third tour-level victory.
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For that eventuality he will have to overcome an in-form Fils, who beat Tsitsipas in straight sets to reach his fourth semi-final on the tour in 2024.
The Frenchman’s 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over the Greek player was his 35th of the season as he looks for further success following a recent victory in Tokyo where he defeated Shelton en route to the title The Asian swing is hoping for hard courts.
Fils hasn’t lost a set this week and has dropped serve just twice en route to the match against his American doubles partner, against whom he is looking to make it back-to-back wins after triumphing at the Japan Open in September.
If he plays as cleanly on serve as he did against Tsitsipas, against whom he had no chances with his balls, these chances will increase in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The 20-year-old has since gone into the Swiss indoor final with a 2-0 win in the semi-finals Alejandro Tabilo beat him in Auckland earlier this year and the French player is looking to improve on that winning streak at Shelton’s expense.
tournament so far
Ben Shelton:
First round: vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 6-4
Second round: against Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(2), 7-5
Quarterfinals: against Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4
Arthur Fils:
First round: vs. Pedro Martínez 7-5 6-3
Second round: vs. Daniel Altmaier 7-6(5) 6-3
Quarterfinals: against Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 6-3
Head to head
Japan Open (2024) – Quarterfinals: Fils 7-5 6-7(5) 7-6(2)
Laver Cup (2023) – Round Robin: Shelton 7-6(4) 6-1
Shelton defeated Fils in straights at the Laver Cup last year, but the Frenchman got revenge in a hard-fought three-set match at the Japan Open last month.
There were two tiebreaks in this match and there could be another clash on Saturday if both players serve equally impressively.
The winner will win the direct duel 2-1.
We say: Shelton wins in three sets
While Shelton’s post-match swagger in the semi-finals in Basel isn’t an indicator that the round of 16 is going his way, the American’s motivation to avenge the defeat in Tokyo and his ability to win are the big points this week to get, an advantage against Fils.
This fight between friends could go either way, but we’re rooting for the 22-year-old to move into Sunday’s title fight.
