Top Seed Ben Shelton Ousted In Auckland Classic Semi-Finals
Top seed Ben Shelton suffered a surprise semi-final exit from the Auckland Classic on Friday, beaten in straight sets by Japan's Taro Daniel. Days out from the Australian Open, powerhouse American Shelton couldn't match the consistency of his unseeded opponent, who won 7-5, 7-6 (11/9) to qualify for his second career ATP final. World number 16 Shelton was only broken once but the 21-year-old couldn't capitalise on any of the three break points he earned against the pugnacious Daniel, who fought for every point in hot conditions. A quarter-finalist at last year's Australian Open before reaching the semi-finals at the US Open, Shelton must regroup ahead of a first-round match in Melbourne against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
