VAN ASCHE - SHELTON
Third set in progress (7-5, 3-6, 3-5)
5:00 p.m.
Well, there you have it, we believed in it for a long time, but Luca Van Assche is eliminated at the gates of the final! Incredible week for the Frenchman who will be on the verge of the top 30!
4:59 p.m.
VICTORY FOR BEN SHELTON AT THE END OF A HUGE FIGHT! The American is in the final of the Masters 1000 in Paris
4:58 p.m.
Ouch, the shot that stays in the net 40-15 and two match points
4:57 p.m.
Second service winner from Shelton 30-0
4:57 p.m.
Good winning service from Shelton... 15-0
4:55 p.m.
Van Assche doesn't give up and wins his faceoff after another ace. 5-4, Shelton will serve for the match!
4:51 p.m.
Well, Shelton doesn't waste on his serve and gets closer to the final 5-3!
4:49 p.m.
We are already 2h05 into the game. Van Assche must have been on the pitch for more than ten hours since the start of the week
4:47 p.m.
NOOOOOOOOOO, THIS TIME IT'S NOT SAVED, SHELTON TAKES THE LEAD, 4-3 SERVICE TO FOLLOW!
4:45 p.m.
It's (again, again) saved thanks to an ace!
4:45 p.m.
ALEEEEEERTE (AGAIN, AGAIN)! Third break point for Shelton after a volley into the net from Van Assche
4:44 p.m.
IT'S (AGAIN) SAVED thanks to a too long forehand from Big Ben!
4:43 p.m.
ALEEERT (AGAIN)! New break point for Shelton!
4:42 p.m.
It was saved magnificently by Van Assche with a superb forehand which caught the American on the wrong foot.
4:37 p.m.
After this heat stroke, Shelton moves forward again and completes his service game quite easily with a magnificent backhand along the 3-3 line!
Luca Van Assche faces Ben Shelton in the semi-final of the Masters 1000 in Paris, this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the Plénitude Arena. A meeting to follow on “20 Minutes”, France Télévisions and Eurosport.
The Frenchman, author of an incredible week after notably releasing Learner Tien and Lorenzo Musetti, is at this stage of the competition for the first time.
Still 338th player in the world at the end of the 2025 season, Van Assche has won several Challenger tournaments this season and will be, at least, 33rd in the ATP on Monday.
4:34 p.m.
BUT NOOOOO THE DOUBLE FAULT AT THE WORST TIME AND SHELTON WHO BREAKS! 3-2 service to follow for the American
4:31 p.m.
THE RETURN OF SPACE FOR VAN ASSCHE AND THE BREAK! YES SIR, YOU’RE BIG! 3-1
4:12 p.m.
Well, Shelton doesn't let anything slip and easily concludes 6-3. So there will be a third set! Van Assche is used to it after two marathons against Musetti and Hijikata!
3:38 p.m.
FIRST SET FOR VAN ASSCHE 7-5! ROAD TO THE FINAL!
3:33 p.m.
OUIIIIIIIII THE FAULT IN FOREHEAD, BREAK AT THE BEST TIME 6-5 FOR THE FRENCH!
2:43 p.m.
It’s FINALLY GONE! GO LUCA!
1:13 p.m.
Hello tennixes! We were waiting for Arthur Fils, even Arthur Rinderknech or Quentin Halys... But it is another Frenchman who attracts the spotlight during this week at the Plénitude Arena, for the Masters 1000 in Paris. Lucas Van Assche is in the semi-final of the tournament and is opposed today to the American Ben Shelton. Still beyond 330th place in the world a year ago, the one who won Roland-Garros Juniors in 2021 is having a huge Parisian tournament and arriving for the first time at this stage of the competition. Come on, just one more step and it will be the final.
