Goffin spoils Shelton's return in Shanghai
Ben Shelton missed the chance to boost his end of year hopes on his return to the ATO Tour when he lost 6-2 6-4 to David Goffin in the second round at the Shanghai Masters.
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The Belgian captured his second top 10 win of the season, saving all three break points he faced against the American, and he now leads the No.6 seed 2-0 in the pair’s head-to-head.
Goffin, a two-time Shanghai quarter-finalist, next faces Gabriel Diallo in the third round. The Canadian defeated Benjamin Bonzi 6-4 6-4.
"From the start, I started to feel really well with my ground strokes," Goffin said.
"I took the ball early, I was returning really well and serving really well, like the first round. I just managed to save a couple of break points, but I think overall I served really well and I played really well after my serve, so I think that was the key to put pressure on Ben.
"But at the end it was tough to finish it, but I made it with a good service game, so I'm really happy."
Shelton was competing for the first time since his retirement during the third round at the US Open in August with a left shoulder injury.
He was slightly off the pace here, coughing up 22 unforced errors to 11 from Goffin, who beat Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami earlier this year.