Overview
- Ben Shelton defeated Gabriel Diallo 6-3, 6-2 in the Round of 16 at the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open to advance to his second ATP quarterfinal in Washington.
- Shelton needed just 61 minutes to finish the match after landing 16 aces and winning 28 of 30 first-serve points.
- The result overturned their only previous meeting when Diallo beat Shelton in 2022 on the Challenger circuit.
- Both players arrived in Washington off straight-set wins and strong grass-court seasons that included Shelton’s Wimbledon quarterfinal run and Diallo’s Libema Open title.
- Shelton’s decisive performance underscores his emergence as a leading serve-based contender as the North American hard-court swing builds toward the US Open.