MELBOURNE—Tommy Paul became the first American man to reach the Australian Open semi-finals since Andy Roddick in 2009 after outclassing Ben Shelton 7–6(6) 6–3 5–7 6–4 in an all-American clash at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Paul held his nerve in the big points and stood up well to his 20-year-old opponent’s blistering serve to reach his first Grand Slam semi. He joins John Isner and Frances Tiafoe as the only active American men to have reached the last four of a major.
“Yesterday I was doing a lot of interviews where I was asked how it feels to be in the quarters, but the semis sound better,” Paul said….