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.



Brugge’s Champions League Progress No Surprise to Coach 

Club Brugge's Belgian midfielder #68 Chemsdine Talbi (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Club Brugge's Greek forward #08 Christos Tzolis during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 2nd leg football match between Club Brugge KV and Atalanta at the Stadio di Bergamo in Bergamo on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
Club Brugge's Belgian midfielder #68 Chemsdine Talbi (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Club Brugge's Greek forward #08 Christos Tzolis during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 2nd leg football match between Club Brugge KV and Atalanta at the Stadio di Bergamo in Bergamo on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
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Brugge’s Champions League Progress No Surprise to Coach 

Club Brugge's Belgian midfielder #68 Chemsdine Talbi (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Club Brugge's Greek forward #08 Christos Tzolis during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 2nd leg football match between Club Brugge KV and Atalanta at the Stadio di Bergamo in Bergamo on February 18, 2025. (AFP)
Club Brugge's Belgian midfielder #68 Chemsdine Talbi (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with Club Brugge's Greek forward #08 Christos Tzolis during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 2nd leg football match between Club Brugge KV and Atalanta at the Stadio di Bergamo in Bergamo on February 18, 2025. (AFP)

Club Brugge's elimination of Serie A side Atalanta in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday was described as a shock in some quarters but did not surprise their coach Nicky Hayen in the slightest.

The Belgian side held a 2-1 advantage going into the second leg and romped to a 3-0 half-time lead in Italy to put the game beyond last season's Europa League winners.

Atalanta pulled a goal back 35 seconds into the second half but were unable to narrow the deficit further, with Ademola Lookman having a penalty saved by Simon Mignolet on the hour mark.

"We conceded that goal very quickly. Then we were lucky that Simon saved that penalty. We had to survive," said Brugge coach Hayen.

"We knew in advance that the match would turn out like that and we could not put together any attacks. But I´m not going to blame my players. They all put their heads down and everyone did his part."

Brugge were ahead after three minutes through teenager Chemsdine Talbi and he added a second midway through the half before Ferran Jutgla made it 3-0.

"It doesn't surprise me. We have so much quality," Hayen added.

"If you play football with courage and confidence, you can get chances. So I didn't have to pinch myself."

Brugge will meet either Aston Villa or Lille in the last 16.