Alejandro Tabilo of Chile plays a shot against Arthur Fils of France during the singles semi-final match. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Unseeded Taro Daniel and qualifier Alejandro Tabilo are through to the ASB Classic final. Daniel recorded a 7-5 7-6(9) upset victory over top seed Ben Shelton, while Tabilo was triumphant 6-2 7-5 against sixth seed Arthur Fils at Stanley Street this afternoon.
Shelton knew this was not going to be a walk in the park against the unseeded Daniel at 4-3 in the first set, with the Japanese world number 75 battled back from 0-40 down to force a mammoth deuce battle. Daniel eventually won to hold serve, breaking Shelton at 5-5 and taking the set after over an hour.
The American top seed showed the first wobbles in the tournament on his usually reliable service game, although he was still good for consistent aces, Daniel was time and again allowed back in after being 0-40 or 15-40 down.
The second set saw Shelton tighten up a bit, but Daniel's adjustments frustrated the American, who was unable to break serve throughout the entire two sets.
There was a huge moment with the second set at 4-4. Daniel had battled to deuce but Shelton first sent down an ace that Hawkeye showed to be in by a millimetre, which he then followed up with a 226 km/h ace to save serve.
Ben Shelton of USA serves during his semi final match against Taro Daniel of Japan. Photo: Hannah Peters
The set went to a thrilling tiebreaker, with both players matching each other point for point, till Daniel finally forced an error from Shelton, sparking a jubilant celebration.
Daniel rated it as one of the bigger results of his career, after getting through his second match-defining tiebreak in as many days.
"You know, there is a tendency to get really excited in those moments and really anxious as well," Daniel said.
"But [the key is] to not change the way I play really. I keep doing what I've been doing, what he doesn't like. There's a lot of energy from the crowd so there's a tendency to want to use that."
In the other semi, Fils was expected to make short work of Tabilo, but the Chilean qualifier had other ideas after a walkover in his quarter final against the injured Cam Norrie.
Arthur Fils of France plays a forehand in his match. Photo: Fiona Goodall
Tabilo was in cruise control in the first set, taking advantage of a sluggish looking sixth seed who was coming off an early finish last night when his quarter final opponent Daniel Altmaier retired with injury.
Fils looked like he had righted the ship in the second set, breaking early and leading 5-2 but Tabilo fought back to make it 5-5. Fils was broken in that crucial game, Tabilo prevailing in a hard-hitting baseline deuce battle. He then held his nerve to close out a marathon game on his next serve, with Fils saving four match points, and reach a massive milestone final.
"I'm just so happy," Tabilo said post match.
"Honestly, it's an unbelievable feeling, (I'm) just so emotional right now, almost two years since I've been in a final."
While it's fair to say it's not quite the final the organisers would have preferred or indeed one that anyone would have predicted, Daniel and Tabilo certainly didn't care and were well rewarded with excellent shifts. One of them will walk away with the ASB Classic title on Saturday, with the match due to start at 2pm.