'23 ATP 500 Tokyo 10/16 - 10/22 2023

[meganfernandez]

Shelton all the way! It's been fun watching his meteoric rise since turning pro. 2024 is going to be a good year for him. Best American male as far as I can tell

Yeah, I think so, but I might still take a fully healthy Korda. I've had my chips on Korda as the best American male of this crop for a while.

Shelton is fun to watch and a star in the making. The serve will take him far. He played a Challenger in Indy, where I live, last summer, and he was super nice and down to earth. I hope he gets this title, but I wouldn't be mad if Mochizuki steals it.

[swaydrian+]

Shelton all the way! It's been fun watching his meteoric rise since turning pro. 2024 is going to be a good year for him. Best American male as far as I can tell

Yeah, I think so, but I might still take a fully healthy Korda. I've had my chips on Korda as the best American male of this crop for a while.

Shelton is fun to watch and a star in the making. The serve will take him far. He played a Challenger in Indy, where I live, last summer, and he was super nice and down to earth. I hope he gets this title, but I wouldn't be mad if Mochizuki steals it.

Fair point, Korda did just beat Shelton. Impressive run in Shanghai, especially if not fully healthy. He also beat Medvedev twice this year. No small feat! I'll root for Shelton and also not be mad if Mochizuki runs away with it. Cool Story!

[meganfernandez]

Shelton all the way! It's been fun watching his meteoric rise since turning pro. 2024 is going to be a good year for him. Best American male as far as I can tell

Yeah, I think so, but I might still take a fully healthy Korda. I've had my chips on Korda as the best American male of this crop for a while.

Shelton is fun to watch and a star in the making. The serve will take him far. He played a Challenger in Indy, where I live, last summer, and he was super nice and down to earth. I hope he gets this title, but I wouldn't be mad if Mochizuki steals it.

Fair point, Korda did just beat Shelton. Impressive run in Shanghai, especially if not fully healthy. He also beat Medvedev twice this year. No small feat! I'll root for Shelton and also not be mad if Mochizuki runs away with it. Cool Story!

The Korda-Shelton match was so close! I didn't see it but just love that they are both playing that well. I didn't know Korda has beaten Medvedev twice this year. You're right, once at the Aussie in straights. Korda started the year so well, beating Sinner and almost beating Djokovic, then the run in Melbourne. So sad about the wrist injury. I was more excited about Korda than anyone in January.

[ti-amie]

Saturday, October 21, 2023 Day 8

COLOSSEUM Starts At 2:00 Pm

SF
Ben Shelton VS (Q) Marcos Giron
Not Before 4:00 Pm
SF
(WC) Shintaro Mochizuki VS Aslan Karatsev
Followed By
SF
Nathaniel Lammons/Jackson Withrow VS Jamie Murray/Michael Venus

[ti-amie]

I saw a bit of Giron vs Ruud the other night and I was surprised to see Ruud struggling against Giron. He was unable to handle the pace and placement of Giron's shots. As for Shintaro playing his first main tour semi there's a good chance he panics and loses to Karatsev. He's the one player I haven't seen play even a little this week.

[meganfernandez]

Girón served for the match in the second set - 5-3, I think - and Shelton came back and won it 6-4 in the third.


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[ti-amie]

Sunday, October 22, 2023 Day 9

COLOSSEUM Starts At 2:00 Pm

F
Jamie Murray/Michael Venus VS Rinky Hijikata/Max Purcell
Not Before 4:30 Pm
F
Aslan Karatsev VS Ben Shelton

[ti-amie]

[mmmm8]

Looks like an easy win for Shelton in the final.

[meganfernandez]

Looks like an easy win for Shelton in the final.

Wonder if he plays Vienna. Has Sinner in R1 probably Tuesday.


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[ti-amie]

Ben Shelton
@BenShelton
All business this week. 1st title in the books! Arigato Tokyo

[ti-amie]

Hijikata and Purcell doubles champions.

[ashkor87]

I wouldn't pay much attention to these tournaments...it is the silly season in tennis now, strange inexplicable results are to be expected...only the year-end playoffs are meaningful now.

[meganfernandez]

I wouldn't pay much attention to these tournaments...it is the silly season in tennis now, strange inexplicable results are to be expected...only the year-end playoffs are meaningful now.

I assume by meaningful, you mean impact on Slam title favorites. I have to disagree. The points and confidence are meaningful. Wozniacki won Australia because she finished 2017 with a title after going 0-6 or 0-7 in finals since her comeback then. She has said that gave her confidence going into the next year. Who's in form and gaining confidence at this point can matter.

I used to not pay too much attention to the fall indoors season, but I I think these storylines and developments can matter more than we think. Ben's' title is an important culmination of a breakthrough year. If he had gone back to not winning consecutive matches after the US Open, I think his stock would be down by Melbourne. He would be mentioned as a dark horse maybe, but now he will be on the short list of favorites after Djokovic and Alcaraz. I bet he will be the #4 or #5 pick behind Novak, Carlos, Medvedev, and Sinner. A hot pick for sure.

[meganfernandez]

Yonex must be thrilled with Shelton's win in Tokyo.