Ben Shelton beat fellow American Tommy Paul 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the Paris Masters semi-finals on Friday, while Frenchman Luca Van Assche upset qualifier Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5 to set up a surprise last-four clash.
Shelton, the third seed, won 20 of 25 service points and struck eight aces in the deciding set, breaking Paul in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and serving out the victory, according to Field Level Media and Tennis Majors. The win also ended Paul’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.
Van Assche, meanwhile, reached his first Masters 1000 semi-final in front of a home crowd, outlasting Hijikata — the qualifier who stunned Novak Djokovic earlier in the week — in a three-set battle.
Shelton survives the American battle
Paul needed to reach the final in Paris to qualify for Turin, but Shelton’s power game proved too much in the decider. The third seed had come from a set down in his previous round against Arthur Rinderknech, and he again showed his nerve in the big moments.
The victory confirms Shelton’s place in the ATP Finals field and keeps alive the possibility of an all-American final in Paris — if he and Carlos Alcaraz both win their semi-finals on Saturday.
Van Assche’s dream run continues
Van Assche’s win over Hijikata was the latest chapter in one of the most open Paris Masters in recent memory. The Frenchman, who beat Lorenzo Musetti in the last 16, now faces Shelton in what will be the pair’s first meeting.
Hijikata’s run ends in the quarter-finals, but the Australian qualifier leaves Paris having beaten Djokovic and reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final — a breakthrough week for the 25-year-old.
What comes next
Shelton and Van Assche meet in Saturday’s first semi-final, with Alcaraz facing Casper Ruud in the second. The final is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, and the draw — blown open by the early exits of top seed Alexander Zverev and the withdrawal of defending champion Jannik Sinner — guarantees a first-time Paris champion. Van Assche, meanwhile, will have the Paris crowd behind him as he chases a first Masters 1000 final in his home tournament.
Related reading: Shelton Meets Paul in All-American Paris Quarter-Final
Alcaraz Saves Two Match Points to Stun Fritz in Paris Epic
Sources: Field Level Media (Nov 7, 2026); Reuters via GeoSuper (Nov 7, 2026); Wikipedia 2026 Rolex Paris Masters draw (Nov 7, 2026).
