Photo via Yahoo Sports

“Rough Go For American Men” – Coco Gauff’s Ex-Coach Dejected By Shelton, Tiafoe & Fritz’s Back-To-Back Shanghai Masters Exits

American men’s tennis struggled in Shanghai as three top-ranked players—Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz—exited early in the tournament. Shelton fell in the third round to Arthur Gea in a tight two-set match, despite dominating first-serve stats, while Tiafoe lost a grueling three-set battle in the round of 32 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Fritz’s campaign ended on Monday after a three-set defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas, marked by an unusual moment when a tennis ball slipped from his shorts pocket during a critical point, forcing replays that ultimately cost him the match. The trio’s exits prompted former Coco Gauff coach Brad Gilbert to express disappointment, calling it a tough stretch for U.S.

men on the tour. Fritz also criticized the tournament’s tennis balls, noting their rapid wear and loss of bounce, which he described as making rallies increasingly difficult to finish.

His comments came after a recent first-round loss at the Japan Open, where he fell to Jaume Munar at the Ariake Coliseum.

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