Not surprising perhaps, to see four Americans in the quarter finals of the Mubadala Citi Open in Washington but only one is guaranteed to go forward to the semi-finals and that would be the winner of the Frances Tiafoe matchup with Ben Shelton.
I love that dude, but tomorrow obviously there’s no friends. We’re going to try to cut each other’s heads off Frances Tiafoe
The other two, at opposite ends of the draw, are Taylor Fritz, the top seed, and Brandon Nakashima, seeded 14.
Tiafoe, seeded 6, a native of Maryland, is virtually playing on home territory and arrived in the last eight with a positive 6-1 6-4 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, last year’s finalist, for his fourth consecutive appearance at this stage of the ATP 500 event. It is also his third quarter final of the current season.
“I got in a really good rhythm there at the end of the second [set],” said Tiafoe. “These courts are really fast, and it helps… I kind of like that, short rallies and big serves.”
Tiafoe was aware that he would be facing his friend Shelton after the fourth seed had booked his place in the last eight earlier with an equally positive 6-3 6-2 win over Canadian Gabriel Diallo.
“I’m excited,” Tiafoe said of the matchup. “We’re great friends. We played an incredible match at the Open last year, I think that’s the best we actually both played. He got me the first couple of times.
“He’s a great player, a great friend of mine. Laver Cups, Davis Cups. We talk to each other outside of the game, we hang out outside of the game. I love that dude, but tomorrow obviously there’s no friends. We’re going to try to cut each other’s heads off, and the crowd’s going to love it. I’m going to love the competition, and I hope to get over the line.”
Ben Shelton is ready to face his friend
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Shelton meanwhile, is playing his second quarter final in as many events after reaching that stage at Wimbledon, where he lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Seven of Shelton’s 19 tour-level quarter finals have been on home soil.
However, Taylor Fritz still looks like the player to beat as he swept past Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 6-4 as he reached his fourth quarter final in his last five events which includes The Championships.
Since June, the Californian has been on an excellent run winning 15 of 17 matches which includes collecting titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne and he should have no trouble with Spain’s Alejandro Davidovic Fokina, the 12th seed, who came through after dispatching the American teenager Learner Tien 6-2 6-2. He would then meet Tiafoe or Shelton!
American Barndon Nakashima also advanced 7-6(3) 6-3 at the expense of Cameron Norrie to set up a meeting with the Australian ‘Demon’, Alex de Minaur, the 7th seed, following a hard-fought battle with the Czeck Jiri Lehecka which he eventually won 7-6(4) 6-7(6) 6-4.
Daniil Medvedev moved past Chinese qualifier Wu Yibing with a dominant 6-3 6-2 win which included 11 aces as he chases his first title since 2023 The Russian is competing in Washington for the first time since 2019 when he reached the final.
The 29-year-old Muscovite will next play French Lucky Loser Corentin Moutet who defeated the 2032 champion Dan Evans 6-2 7-6(4).