Nakashima Stuns Tiafoe, Shelton Advances in Tokyo
Brandon Nakashima Upsets Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton Advances in Tokyo
At the ongoing Tokyo Open, Brandon Nakashima showcased his impressive form by defeating seventh seed Frances Tiafoe in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. Despite Tiafoe securing an early break, Nakashima’s superior serving proved decisive, as he fired 12 aces and prevented Tiafoe from creating another break point.
Nakashima, currently ranked 36th in the world, has been in excellent form lately, having previously defeated fellow Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul on hard courts. He also reached the round of 16 at the US Open, where he defeated Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti.
In the second round, Nakashima will face France’s Ugo Humbert.
Meanwhile, defending Tokyo champion Ben Shelton overcame a slow start to defeat Reilly Opelka, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. After dropping the first set, Shelton regrouped and converted three breaks to level the match. In the decider, Shelton faced a challenge in the eighth game when Opelka saved three break points to reach 4-4. However, Shelton remained composed and broke Opelka’s serve in the next game to secure the victory.
Shelton, who won his maiden ATP title in Tokyo last October, has a 13-15 record this year in matches where he dropped the first set.