PARIS — Ben Shelton rallied from a break down in the deciding set to beat Luca Van Assche 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the Paris Masters final on Saturday.
The third-seeded American looked in trouble when the unseeded Frenchman broke his serve for a 3-1 lead in the third set.
But the U.S. Open runner-up responded by winning the next four games to lead 5-3.
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After Van Assche held under pressure, Shelton served out the match to move closer to his fifth title of the year and eighth overall. The 24-year-old Shelton is on course for a third Masters title, having twice won the National Bank Open in Montreal.
He faces the winner of Saturday’s later semifinal between seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and three-time major runner-up Casper Ruud of Norway. The second-seeded Alcaraz saved two match points on Friday.
Missed opportunity
The 22-year-old Van Assche was appearing in his first Masters semifinal and edged a tight first set. Shelton tied the match by completing a love hold with a sharp backhand volley at the net.
Van Assche broke for a 3-1 lead when he returned Shelton’s looping serve with a whipped forehand pass down the line.
But Shelton broke straight back, held to love for 3-3 and then broke again as Van Assche appeared to flag physically. Shelton cracked a smile when his 19th ace of the match made it 5-3.
Van Assche’s only career title came earlier this year on outdoor clay at Estoril in Portugal.
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