Overview

• Alexander Zverev beat Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-2 in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals, ending the American’s nine-match winning streak.
• Shelton had entered Cincinnati off his first Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open, a triumph that lifted him to a career-high world No. 6.
• The defeat prevented Shelton from joining Taylor Fritz as one of two Americans in the ATP top five for the first time since 2005.
• Shelton has made video scouting an every-match ritual and is targeting greater second-serve consistency as he works to bridge the gap on established top-10 opponents.
• Coached full-time by his father, Bryan Shelton, since June 2023, he will recalibrate his schedule and tactical approach ahead of the US Open.