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Rune, Draper, Shelton Feature In Biggest ATP Upsets Of 2022 | ATP Tour

Rune, Draper, Shelton Feature In Biggest ATP Upsets Of 2022 | ATP Tour

This week, ATPTour.com begins its annual season-in-review series, looking back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. In this installment, we look back at the biggest upsets on the ATP Tour this season (excluding the Grand Slams), featuring Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper. On Thursday we will focus on the best Grand Slam upsets of the year.

5) Libema Open, van Rijthoven d. Fritz (R2), Auger-Aliassime (SF), Medvedev (Final)
Dutchman Tim van Rijthoven’s wild card run on the grass of ‘s-Hertogenbosch comes in at No. 5 on our list — but it could have been the biggest stunner, according to the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The 25-year-old beat each of the top three seeds in the field — Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev — to become the lowest-ranked tour-level champion of the season at World No. 205.

In winning his first ATP Tour title, van Rijthoven battled back from a set down against Fritz in the second round, won a third-set tie-break against Auger-Aliassime in the semis and “destroyed” (Medvedev’s word) the World No. 2, 6-4, 6-1 in the final. 

“This is new for me, it’s going to take some time getting used to,” said the Dutchman, who had not won a tour-level match prior to his title run. “What a dream this week. I would like to thank my team for staying humble this week, doing the normal things, not making this thing any bigger than it was.”

Building off his trophy run, van Rijthoven went on to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, taking a set off Novak Djokovic in defeat after cutting down seeds Reilly Opelka and Nikoloz Basilashvili. He reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of World No. 101 in July behind his strong showings in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and London.

4) Western & Southern Open, R2, Shelton d. Ruud 6-3, 6-3
Not long after finishing his sophomore year at the University of Florida, then-19-year-old Ben Shelton proved he was ready to graduate to the professional level with a breakout showing in Cincinnati during his first ATP Masters 1000 event.

Facing World No. 5 Casper Ruud in the second round, the wild card made quick work of the Norwegian with a straight-sets victory. The American needed just over an hour to notch his fist Top 10 win.

“I think you’ve got to fake it till you make it, right?” Shelton said of his jump to the elite level. “If I’m not feeling completely comfortable at the beginning, I’m going to do my best to show that I…

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