Ben Shelton has reserved special praise for Frances Tiafoe after their Washington Open match yesterday, in which he came out on top.

It was a hard-fought encounter, but the 22-year-old managed to handle the conditions better to deservedly earn his spot in the semi-finals.

It’s clear that, particularly across the last few years, these two Americans have seen their friendship blossom.

At least from the outside looking in, it’s been wholesome to watch.

Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe sit next to each otherPhoto by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

However, as competitors, there is an odd dynamic that often plays out on the tour, and this is no different.

Despite this potential awkwardness, the mutual respect between Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe is apparent, with the former being the latest to praise his compatriot.

Ben Shelton praises Frances Tiafoe trait after beating him at the Washington Open

Speaking at his Washington Open press conference after his 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory, Shelton cut an upbeat figure as he analysed his match against Tiafoe.

Asked about a particular flashpoint in the second set, where he failed to convert break points, one reporter wondered how he remained level after such a moment and avoided getting frustrated.

Shelton replied: “Yeah, I just continued playing. You know, I got some second-serve looks on his game points, which I played freely and aggressive and was able to capitalise.

“And then, you know, I played the deuce points well, but I was just trying to stay there, stay steady. Obviously, he’s feeling the pressure. His back’s against the wall, and I know how well I’m returning and playing in that moment.

“So you know how much pressure you’re putting on a guy when they have to save, you know, five or six breakpoints and you’re making every return, and they’ve got to come up with the goods over and over, because I feel the same thing against him a lot.

“You know, the hand skills he has, the way he’s able to take my return off the hop on the baseline, 145-mile-an-hour serve, put it at my feet, is pretty silly, and I think that the way that I was returning tonight probably put similar-type pressure.

“I kind of took confidence in that and knew that if it wasn’t that game, the way I was returning, I was going to give myself more looks later in the set and have chances to break, and the way I was serving it was going to be tough to break me.”

In his own presser, Tiafoe admitted he did something ‘unacceptable’ against Shelton, which he felt cost him the match.

Ben Shelton could be on for a huge rankings boost in the next few months

Whilst Tiafoe has plenty of points to defend throughout this North American swing of the tour, Shelton is blessed with the opposite.

After all, he’s already matched last year’s run to the semi-final, thus cementing his new career-high spot of seventh in the world, and has relatively little to defend in his next three events too.

At Toronto last year, he only made it to the Round of 32. With the hugely weakened field, he should have aspirations of winning the entire event.

Ben Shelton pumps his fistPhoto by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Then, in Cincinnati, he has quarter-final points to defend, which should be manageable for a player in the form that he is enjoying.

Finally, a third-round at the US Open last year marked a huge underperformance from a former semi-finalist at that event.

It’s expected that, before the final Grand Slam of the year, he will be at a career-best position in the world rankings.

Should he go really deep at that tournament too, the sky really is the limit for Shelton.