For almost two months, Ben Shelton has been playing on fumes. The US Open run, Davis Cup duty, Shanghai and then Beijing stacked up, and by the time he landed in Paris something had finally loosened.

“This is kind of the first week since the US Open that I’ve really felt 100 per cent ready to compete,” Shelton told Tennis Majors after beating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) in the round of 16. “I think everyone is probably cooked… going to Davis Cup and then China for Shanghai.”

The win, Shelton’s 43rd of 2026, is a personal season best and carries the world No. 4 into the quarterfinals of the final Masters 1000 event of the year. The 3rd seed trailed by a set and had to hold off a partisan Paris crowd pulling for Rinderknech before edging the decisive tiebreak.

Paul’s Turin lifeline

Tommy Paul booked the all-American tie by seeing off French wildcard Quentin Halys 7-6(3), 6-4 in one hour and 36 minutes, dropping just two points on serve across the match.

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Paul is 13th in the Race to Turin, 309 points behind the ninth-placed Rafael Jodar. On 2,925 points after the quarterfinal run, he would need to reach the final in Paris to pass Jodar and the title to overtake Frances Tiafoe, Tennis Majors reported. Shelton has already locked up his ATP Finals place.

Halys left the court convinced the American had another level in reserve, telling Tennis Majors that Paul is “underrated on serve” and, on days like this one, plays “like the very best players in the world”.

Fifth meeting, level at 2-2

Friday at the Paris La Défense Arena will be the fifth career meeting between Shelton and Paul and their first since 2024, the ATP confirmed. Shelton took the first two in 2023 on hard courts, Paul won the Dallas semifinal 6-2, 6-4 in 2024, and a loss in Washington later that year tied the head-to-head at 2-2.

Shelton told reporters afterwards it had “been a long time” since the two were on court, adding that Paul is “in great form right now”.

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Alcaraz through without hitting a ball

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz was handed a walkover into the last eight on Thursday after Italy’s Matteo Berrettini pulled out of their round-of-16 match with an arm injury. The Spaniard, chasing a fifth title of 2026 after wins at the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Japan Open and Vienna, will meet Arthur Fils or Taylor Fritz for a semifinal place.

Shelton and Paul open play at the Paris La Défense Arena on Friday.

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