Paul Beats Shelton in all-US Quarterfinal at Australian Open

Tommy Paul of the US celebrates match point during his Quarterfinals match against Ben Shelton of the US at the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2023. (EPA)
Tommy Paul of the US celebrates match point during his Quarterfinals match against Ben Shelton of the US at the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2023. (EPA)
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Paul Beats Shelton in all-US Quarterfinal at Australian Open

Tommy Paul of the US celebrates match point during his Quarterfinals match against Ben Shelton of the US at the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2023. (EPA)
Tommy Paul of the US celebrates match point during his Quarterfinals match against Ben Shelton of the US at the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2023. (EPA)

Tommy Paul reached his first Grand Slam semifinal and ended the surprising run of Ben Shelton by winning their all-American matchup at the Australian Open 7-6 (6), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 on Wednesday.

Paul, a 25-year-old from New Jersey, is the first man from his country to make it to the final four at Melbourne Park since Andy Roddick in 2009. Roddick was also the last man from the US to win a Grand Slam singles championship, at the US Open 20 years ago.

The 35th-ranked Paul was a star as a junior, taking the 2015 title at the French Open and getting to the final at Flushing Meadows that year. As a pro, he owns one tour-level title, at Stockholm in 2021 and, until this week, had made it as far as the fourth round at just one Grand Slam tournament — at Wimbledon a year ago.

His semifinal opponent will be 21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic or No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev. Djokovic entered their match on Wednesday night with a 43-10 career record in major quarterfinals; Rublev’s mark at that stage was 0-6.

The other men’s semifinal Friday is No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas against No. 18 Karen Khachanov.



Rodgers Hoping to Complete Celtic Swoop for Arsenal's Tierney

Soccer Football - Champions League - Arsenal Training - Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, Britain - January 21, 2025 Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, manager Mikel Arteta and Maldini Kacurri during training Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - Arsenal Training - Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, Britain - January 21, 2025 Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, manager Mikel Arteta and Maldini Kacurri during training Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File photo
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Rodgers Hoping to Complete Celtic Swoop for Arsenal's Tierney

Soccer Football - Champions League - Arsenal Training - Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, Britain - January 21, 2025 Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, manager Mikel Arteta and Maldini Kacurri during training Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - Arsenal Training - Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, Britain - January 21, 2025 Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, manager Mikel Arteta and Maldini Kacurri during training Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File photo

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is hoping a deal can be agreed with Arsenal to expedite Kieran Tierney's return to Glasgow before the end of the transfer window.

The Scotland international is set to return to Celtic, who he left for the Gunners in 2019, on a free transfer with his contract at the Emirates expiring at the end of the season.

However, the Scottish champions are pushing to bring Tierney home before the window closes next week, AFP reported.

"I think we're agreed that it will definitely take place in the summer. If we can do it beforehand, then great," said Rodgers on Tuesday.

"I don't want to speak too much on it with the greatest respect, because he's not a Celtic player here now with us.

"But if we were able to do it, of course, we would like to do that, but that's out of our control at this moment in time."

Tierney has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal but four of his five appearances this season have come this month as Mikel Arteta battles an injury crisis.

Celtic are already assured of a place in the Champions League play-off round ahead of Wednesday's visit to Aston Villa.

It is the first time in 12 years that the Hoops have reached the knockout phase of Europe's elite competition, but Rodgers said his side's work is not complete.

"It's a great achievement to be in the top 24, I think, if you look at the economics at this level," added the former Liverpool boss.

"The players have worked very, very hard and do what we set out to do, which was to firstly arrive in the play-offs, the players have done that. So it's great.

"But our job's not complete in this series of eight games. We come here to a great venue. It's a fantastic team, but we want to come and play to the level that we know we can do."

Celtic, however, will have to live without three key players from the side that beat Young Boys last week to secure qualification.

Kyogo Furuhashi has left to join Rennes, Daizen Maeda is suspended, while Cameron Carter-Vickers misses out through injury.

And Rodgers is keen to ensure he has a replacement for Kyogo, who scored 85 goals in 165 games for the club, before the end of the window.

"He's been a real iconic player for the club, he's done brilliantly during his time.

"It's about getting a replacement, he did a great job, but he wanted to leave.

"We have known for a number of months. Clearly we wouldn't have wanted to sell him but he made it clear he wanted to move and when that's the case, we have to find the best solution for the club."