Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils Photo: Phil Walter
Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils will take to centre court as heavy favourites in their ASB Classic semi-finals today.
The two stars have lit up a sweltering Stanley Street this week, with 21-year-old Shelton fulfilling the archetype of the big-serving American player, while the 19-year-old Frenchman Fils has impressed many with his natural all-round game.
The day's action comes after a slightly disappointing quarter final round, which saw one walkover and another match finish only one and a half games into the second set.
Cam Norrie's withdrawal due to a wrist injury was greeted with groans of disappointment, muted somewhat by the fact that a lot of the spectators could take an early break from sitting in the oppressive sun. Especially after the first quarter final between Taro Daniel and Alexandre Muller went for two hours and 39 minutes, ending 6-4 6-7 6-3 after Daniel seemed poised to take victory at 5-1 in the second set.
The walkover win for Chilean Alejandro Tabilo due to Norrie's injury does raise an interesting dynamic though. Fils' opponent, Daniel Altmaier, succumbed to injury as well after a battle of a first set that Fils took 7-6 in a tiebreak. It looked set for another long, drawn-out contest till it became clear that Altmaier was suffering after he was broken in the first game of the second set, then retired halfway through the second.
So now Fils and Tabilo are coming in relatively fresh, instead of the usual walkover situation where one player is a lot more rested than the other. Tabilo probably needed the break an awful lot more, having come through qualifying he's played four matches already, however today will be the first time he's played on centre court.
Last night was very much Fils' toughest test of the tournament so far, before Altmaier pushed him to a tiebreak he had only conceded nine games in his two matches, including handing Nuno Borges a bagel in the second set of their meeting.
Taro Daniel of Japan thanks the fans after winning his 1/4 final singles match at the ASB Classic tennis tournament in Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Meanwhile, Shelton takes in a huge degree of momentum against Daniel in their semi-final.
"I am just trying to stick to my game-plan this week and focus on trying to play the right way, the type of tennis that I visualise myself playing three or four years from now, and being content with some of the mistakes," said Shelton, after ominously setting a new personal best fastest serve in his 6-4 6-3 win over Roberto Carballes Baena.
"I want to have an aggressive style, an all-court player and most importantly, I don't want to second-guess myself. I want to be committed to any decision I make on the court and not hesitate at all. When you hesitate you get in trouble."
The top seed will unlikely be slowing down his service game at all, so Daniel will need the sort of mental fortitude he showed to dig himself out of the hole he was in against Muller yesterday if he's to have a shot. At 30, Daniel is showing encouraging form at the beginning of the season, but this stands as a tough challenge.
After a week when many of the big, experienced names have fallen, it looks like two of tennis's future stars are going to be showing the way in the ASB Classic semi finals.
ASB Classic men's semi finals, starting at 1pm:
Ben Shelton (USA) vs Taro Daniel (JPN)
Arthur Fils (FRA) vs Alejandro Tabilo (CHI)