19 aces, 0 double faults: Ben Shelton edges Van Assche 1-2 in Paris (7-5, 3-6, 6-4)

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Nineteen aces against nine. Zero double faults against five. Those two columns decided the Paris semifinal before the scoreline did: Ben Shelton beat Luca Van Assche 1-2 (7-5, 3-6, 6-4) while winning 96 points to 81 and 33 return points to Van Assche's 22.

Van Assche took the opening set on his terms. He landed the only break of it and saved the one break point he faced to close 7-5, even as Shelton served seven aces in the set to his two without a single double fault. It was the only set where the return battle finished level, 12-12, and Shelton saved two of three break points in it — yet still handed over the lead.

The second set turned on serve rhythm: Van Assche's service points won fell from 27 to 14 while his return points dropped from 12 to 3, and one break from Shelton's only chance settled 6-3. The decider sat level at 18-18 in service points, but Shelton manufactured five break points, Van Assche saved three, and the two that got through closed it 6-4. Van Assche even won the set-three ace count 5-4 — the only set he took that battle, and too late for it to matter.

Shelton's edge was the simplest weapon in the building: the first serve. He put 66 of 85 in play and turned them into 55 first-serve points, 16 more than Van Assche. He faced six break points all match and saved four; Van Assche saved four of seven and converted just two of six. And the double-fault column across three sets: zero.

Van Assche won the first set. Shelton won every point his serve could protect after that.