Shelton sweeps Fonseca to reach Montreal quarter-final

AFP | Montreal

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Defending champion Ben Shelton kept a clean slate at the ATP Montreal Masters, holding off a challenge from Joao Fonseca to power 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) into the quarter-finals.

World number 10 Shelton has not dropped a set in reaching the last eight.

The 23-year-old American left-hander will play for a semi-final berth against 13th-seeded Czech Jakub Mensik, who beat Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-4, 7-5, claiming victory on a winning lob.

Van De Zandschulp served for the second set but was broken, with Mensik seizing the momentum as he won 12 of the final 14 points.

Brazilian teenager Fonseca, billed as one of the faces for the future of the sport, might have compromised his own chances when he landed badly on his ankle after missing a smash while leading 3-1, 40-30 in the second set.

The youngster was plagued by 32 unforced errors as his opponent mastered an annoying evening wind to earn the victory.

“It was tough today, not easy conditions,” Shelton said. “With the wind I struggled to find footing on a lot of balls.

“It all came down to grit. The tennis was not clean. Beating a high-quality player like that is huge for me.”

Shelton secured his ninth straight victory in Canada on the second of four match points as Fonseca hit the net with a return after leading in both sets.

Daniel Merida smothered Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-1 as the Spaniard continued his rapid adjustment to hardcourt tennis in Canada.

The world number 63 joins compatriot Rafael Jodar in the Canada quarter-finals and will break through to a career-best spot inside the top 50 as a result of his fourth-round victory.