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“Beyond Frustrated & Disappointed” – Fans React As Ben Shelton & Frances Tiafoe Suffer Double Heartbreak At Shanghai Masters On Same Day

American tennis stars Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe faced early exits at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, sparking frustration among fans after both fell to lower-ranked opponents in straight-set defeats. Shelton, the reigning U.S.

Open finalist, lost 7-6(5), 7-6(3) to world No. 56 Arthur Gea in the round of 32, while Tiafoe dropped a grueling three-hour match to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina despite holding a match point in the final-set tiebreak.

Both players had drawn praise for their performances at the U.S. Open, where Shelton reached his first Grand Slam final as the first Black American man since Arthur Ashe in 1972.

Shelton later acknowledged his opponent’s superior play, citing physical unpreparedness due to a Davis Cup-focused schedule and jet lag as key factors in his early exit. The back-to-back upsets have intensified discussions about the Americans’ consistency outside the North American hard-court season, where they’ve historically thrived.

Shelton will next compete at the Swiss Indoors Basel, while Tiafoe’s upcoming tournament remains unannounced.

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