Ben Shelton Reaches Paris Masters Quarterfinals with Win Over Rinderknech

American tennis player Ben Shelton defeated Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) at the Paris Masters to secure his spot in the quarterfinals, notching his 43rd match win of the season.

Shelton Faces Tommy Paul Next

The victory marks the best single-season win total of Shelton’s career. Shelton will next face compatriot and 12th-seeded Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals. The two players have met four times previously on tour, splitting those matches with two wins apiece.

Paul advanced to the next round by defeating Quentin Halys 7-6 (3), 6-4. That win kept Paul’s mathematical chances alive for qualification to the ATP Finals, scheduled for November 15 to 22 in Turin, Italy, where two tournament spots remain open.

Carlos Alcaraz Advances via Walkover

Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz moved into the quarterfinals without striking a ball in the third round after his opponent, Matteo Berrettini of Italy, withdrew from the tournament due to a hand injury. Berrettini did not specify which hand was affected, though he shared on Instagram that he had been experiencing pain over the preceding days.

Alcaraz’s quarterfinal opponent will be the winner of the match between sixth-seeded Arthur Fils of France and 11th-seeded Taylor Fritz of the United States. Fritz is also hunting for a qualification spot at the ATP Finals. If Fritz loses his upcoming match, American compatriot Frances Tiafoe will punch his ticket to Turin.

Home Hope Luca Van Assche Reaches Quarterfinals

Luca Van Assche provided the Parisian crowd with a notable home victory by overcoming Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the third round. Ranked 47th in the world, Van Assche closed out the match on his first match point with a delicate volley near the net to earn his first appearance in a Masters-level quarterfinal. Musetti has previously reached the quarterfinal stage at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Rinky Hijikata Continues Run

Qualifier Rinky Hijikata extended his tournament run following his second-round upset of Novak Djokovic. Hijikata battled past Tomás Martín Etcheverry 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to book his place in the next round, where he will square off against Van Assche.

More on this story: Taylor Fritz Eliminates Arthur Fils in Rolex Paris Masters Round of 16 · Van Assche Stuns Hijikata to Reach Paris Masters Final Four

More on Paris Masters: Rinky Hijikata Reaches First Masters 1000 Quarterfinals at Paris Masters · Carlos Alcaraz defeats Taylor Fritz at Rolex Paris Masters · Ignacio Buse defeats Zizou Bergs at Paris Masters