Shelton’s Turin Aspirations Diminish After Goffin Defeat in Shanghai
Rune Moves Forward, Tiafoe Eliminated
October 03, 2025
Rolex Shanghai Masters
David Goffin, a seasoned quarter-finalist in Shanghai, shines again.
By Sam Jacot
Ben Shelton faced a setback in his quest for Turin qualification, as he stumbled against former World No. 7 David Goffin in the second round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Goffin secured a solid 6-2, 6-4 victory, marking his second Top 10 win this season.
This match marked Shelton’s return to the Tour after a retirement due to a left shoulder injury during the US Open in August, which he labeled as “the worst pain of my life.” Unfortunately, he struggled to find his rhythm, racking up 22 unforced errors compared to Goffin’s 11. The Belgian previously triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz in Miami earlier this year, showcasing his formidable skills.
“From the start, I felt great with my ground strokes,” Goffin commented. “I was taking the ball early, returning decisively, and serving effectively—just like in my first round. I managed to save a couple of break points, but overall, I think my serving and follow-up plays were key to applying pressure on Ben. Although finishing the match was tough, I pulled through with a solid service game, so I’m really pleased.”
With a 37-19 record on the tour in 2025, Shelton has displayed his prowess on hard courts this year, clinching his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto and reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Entering Shanghai, Shelton held the sixth position in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin with 3,720 points, being in a favorable position to debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in November. However, he now faces the threat of being surpassed by seventh-placed Alex de Minaur (3,355 points) and eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti (3,345 points) in the upcoming days.
Currently, Shelton boasts a 1,005-point lead over 10th-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is just outside the Top 8 cut. With ninth-placed Jack Draper sidelined for the remainder of the year due to injury, Auger-Aliassime is set to take on Chengdu champion Alejandro Tabilo in his Shanghai opener.
Goffin confidently saved all three break points he faced against Shelton and now leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 2-0. The seasoned player, a two-time Shanghai quarter-finalist, will next battle Gabriel Diallo, who defeated Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 6-4.
In other matches, Holger Rune, ranked 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, kept his qualification hopes alive with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Sebastian Baez. After overcoming a break disadvantage in the second set, Rune is eyeing his first Masters 1000 title since Paris 2022 and will face Ugo Humbert next, who eliminated Jordan Thompson 6-3, 7-6(4).
Meanwhile, Yannick Hanfmann dealt another blow to Frances Tiafoe, defeating him 6-7(9), 6-2, 6-1. Tiafoe has now suffered five consecutive losses, including a disappointing third-round exit at the US Open. Hanfmann is set to face either Novak Djokovic or Marin Cilic in the third round.
