Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul will meet in an all-American Rolex Paris Masters quarterfinal after both men won on Thursday in Paris. Shelton’s three-set victory over Arthur Rinderknech not only sent him through, it also gave him a career-best 43rd win of the season.
That result mattered beyond the scoreline. Shelton became the first American to reach back-to-back Paris quarterfinals since Jack Sock’s 2016-2018 run, while Paul’s straight-sets win over Quentin Halys ensured there will be an American quarterfinalist in Paris.
Shelton digs out a hard-fought win
Shelton had to come through a tough test to stay alive in the Rolex Paris Masters. He beat Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 in two hours, three minutes, recovering after dropping the opening set and then holding his nerve in the final-set tiebreak.
It was the kind of result that underlined both his resilience and his season-long consistency. The win moved him to 43-26 for the year and into his 11th quarterfinal overall, including his 10th ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
Paul keeps the American challenge alive
Tommy Paul also did his job in Paris, defeating Quentin Halys 7-6, 6-4 to book his place in the last eight. It was a milestone result as well, giving him his 10th ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
Paul and Shelton have met four times before, with Paul leading the series 3-1. Their most recent meeting came in the 2024 Dallas semifinals, where Paul beat Shelton 6-2, 6-4.
Now they will face each other again with a place in the Rolex Paris Masters semifinals on the line. For Shelton, it is another chance to build on a career-best season. For Paul, it is an opportunity to extend his edge in the rivalry and keep the American presence alive in Paris.
