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500 ATP Mubadala Citi DC Open

Ben Shelton Highlights Frances Tiafoe’s Rising Threat Beyond Top 10

Ben Shelton warns players about Frances Tiafoe’s breakthrough form beyond the top 10 rankings.

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Ben Shelton identified fellow American Frances Tiafoe as a formidable threat to the tennis field, despite Tiafoe currently being ranked just outside the top 10 at world No 11. Shelton emphasized the danger Tiafoe poses if he maintains his recent form, saying, “That’s scary for the rest of the field. He’ll even say it himself.”

The pair clashed in the quarter-finals of the Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event, with Shelton edging a close 7-6(2), 6-4 victory. Shelton’s win marked a turnaround from their previous encounter at last year’s US Open, giving him a 3-1 lead in their personal rivalry.

Reflecting on Tiafoe’s progress, Shelton remarked, “He’s one of those guys who can turn the switch on whenever he wants it, and you guys are seeing more and more weeks every year that he’s playing his brand of tennis, really good tennis. He used to be a guy who’d show up in the American hard-court swing and a few other times during the year, and those would be his big moments. The guy’s making quarterfinals at Roland Garros now, and people are in trouble.”

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Tiafoe achieved a career-high ranking of No 10 in mid-2023 and recently reached his first French Open quarter-final, where he lost to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in four sets. With two semi-final appearances in three Grand Slam events, Tiafoe will be defending a significant 720 points at the upcoming US Open.

During their match in Washington, Shelton proved the more consistent player, winning 90% of his first serve points and 68% on his second. He created 10 break points compared to Tiafoe’s single opportunity, underscoring his dominance on crucial moments.

Analysing his performance, Shelton said, “I think obviously this court does a lot for my serve. The ability to get the ball out of the zone is huge, especially against a guy like Foe, who is so good in the pocket. So my ability for my flat serves not only to be coming in at 145 but also rising above his shoulders is huge. Second serve, too. He’s one of the best in the world when he’s locked in, attacking second serves and making you feel like you’re on the back foot, taking a second serve and coming to the net. My winning percentage on second serve was probably the highest that it’s ever been against him. My aggressive brand of serving, and then I was willing to take chances on the return of serve, and I executed a lot. So I think that combination was kind of tough to deal with in these conditions.”

Shelton’s next opponent will be Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who secured a win over top seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals. Davidovich Fokina holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Shelton, with victories in the 2023 Paris and 2025 Monte Carlo Masters tournaments.

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500 Mubadala Citi DC Open Player News

Emma Raducanu’s Strong Showing at 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open Boosts Rankings and Earnings

Emma Raducanu reached the Mubadala Citi DC Open semi-final, rising to No. 33 and boosting her earnings.

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Emma Raducanu concluded her run at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., falling in the semi-final to Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Despite the loss, the 22-year-old Brit demonstrated significant progress, climbing the rankings and earning valuable prize money in the WTA 500 event.

Starting the tournament ranked No. 46, Raducanu opened with a straight-sets victory over seventh seed Marta Kostyuk and followed that with another two-set win against former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Her impressive form continued with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari to reach the semi-finals.

Raducanu’s run ended when Kalinskaya secured a decisive 6-4, 6-3 victory. Nonetheless, the week signaled a resurgence from the player who famously won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier. Semi-finalists at WTA tournaments earn 195 ranking points, but Raducanu faced the challenge of defending 108 points from her quarter-final appearance at last year’s event.

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Due to the tournament’s scheduling shift caused by the Paris Olympics, those points will drop next week, meaning Raducanu currently adds the full 195 points to her total, boosting her to 1,406 points and moving her up 13 places to No. 33 in the live rankings. When the updated rankings are released on July 28, she will be comfortably inside the top 35 and will regain the British No. 1 ranking, having lost it to Katie Boulter post-Wimbledon.

In doubles, Raducanu partnered with Elena Rybakina, and their semi-final finish earned each 195 points. This result will vault Raducanu 296 places to No. 273 in the doubles rankings.

With career prize money standing at $5,337,037—largely from her 2021 US Open victory—Raducanu has added $82,755 from Washington DC, combining earnings from singles and doubles. She earned $71,205 for reaching the singles semi-final and an additional $11,550 from splitting the $23,100 doubles prize with Rybakina.

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500 ATP Mubadala Citi DC Open

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Advances to Mubadala Citi DC Open Final with Victory Over Ben Shelton

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina powered past Ben Shelton to reach the Mubadala Citi DC Open final.

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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continued his impressive run at the Mubadala Citi DC Open by defeating Ben Shelton 6-2, 7-5 to secure a spot in the tournament final. The Spaniard, seeded 12th, showcased resilience and aggressive play throughout the match.

Earlier in the tournament, Davidovich Fokina ended the campaigns of Americans Learner Tien and Taylor Fritz. After his late-night victory over Fritz at 2 a.m., he displayed no sign of fatigue against Shelton on the courts at Rock Creek Park.

Davidovich Fokina capitalized on early first-serve issues from Shelton, combining heavy groundstrokes with strategic net approaches to claim the first set in 28 minutes. In the second set, despite twice saving break points, Shelton’s errors—including a double fault and a poorly executed forehand drop shot—allowed the Spaniard to gain a crucial break at 4-3. However, Shelton quickly recovered as Davidovich Fokina faltered with his forehand, returning the break.

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With the home crowd rallying behind him, Shelton held serve confidently, pushing the match toward a potential deciding set. At 5-5 and 15-15, Shelton missed an overhead, followed by a backhand error, giving Davidovich Fokina two break points. The Spaniard seized the opportunity, hitting a forehand winner at the net to break and then served out the match without faltering.

This win improved Davidovich Fokina’s 2025 record to 32-17, including five victories against top 10 players. He reached his first ATP final of the year in Delray Beach and also finished runner-up in Acapulco shortly after.

On Sunday, Davidovich Fokina will face seventh seed Alex de Minaur in pursuit of his maiden ATP title. De Minaur advanced to the final by defeating lucky loser Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-3.

The final promises a compelling contest between two in-form players seeking to lift their first trophy of the season.

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500 Mubadala Citi DC Open WTA

Anna Kalinskaya and Leylah Fernandez Set for Mubadala Citi DC Open Final

Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya advance to the Mubadala Citi DC Open final, both seeking titles.

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At the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya will compete for the title in Sunday’s women’s final. Fernandez, the 22-year-old Canadian and 2021 US Open finalist, advanced after a grueling three-set victory against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, winning 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3) in three hours and sixteen minutes. Fernandez’s performance included 12 aces and marked her second top-20 win of the week. Earlier in the tournament, she defeated the top seed, Jessica Pegula.

Kalinskaya, the 26-year-old Russian ranked 48th, efficiently reached the final by defeating Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-3 in less than half the time of Fernandez’s semifinal. Kalinskaya’s precision was highlighted by 14 backhand winners in the match. Raducanu notably had beaten Fernandez at the 2021 US Open.

Both players come into the final unseeded. Kalinskaya is seeking the first title of her career in her third tour-level final, having lost her two previous championship matches last year. Fernandez, with three career titles to her name, will be competing in her seventh final overall as she aims for her first title of the season.

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Sunday’s match promises to be a compelling contest between two determined players eager to capture a significant WTA title on the hard courts of Washington.

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