Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton eliminated in rough Dallas Open day session for Americans

Three American players took Center Court at the Dallas Open Thursday afternoon for their second-round matches. All three, including seeds Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, were sent packing by their respective international opponents.

Yoshihito Nishioka battled back to first eliminate Tiafoe, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The left-hander has now won the pair’s last two meetings after dropping their initial three encounters.

“A little bit surprised I won today,” he admitted to Tennis Channel’s Jason Goodall. “I (was) a little bit tired, my body, little problem with my shoulder as well. I wasn’t thinking I could play this level.”

Countryman Kei Nishikori was in Nishioka’s player box for the victory. The 29-year-old confirmed with TENNIS.com in the mixed zone afterwards that he is flying solo this week.

“I didn’t know he was there before starting the third set!” exclaimed Nishioka. “Sometimes I travel alone. In Atlanta, when I won the tournament, I was alone there. After when you lose, maybe you need to talk to someone.”

For a place in the semifinals, Nishioka takes on Casper Ruud. The No. 2 seed dismissed qualifier Michael Mmoh, 6-1, 6-4, to close out the day session.

I want them to be a little more surprised what comes out of my racquet. Try to hide my shots a little bit better... I think that I’m kind of too easy to read. Casper Ruud

Ruud opted to get himself forward when possible as one way to show Mmoh different looks throughout in the 71-minute victory.

“I just think that I need to challenge myself, to go out of my comfort zone. Do a few serve and volleys, maybe a return coming in. Don’t give the opponent too much comfort,” he assessed with Goodall.

“I want them to be a little more surprised what comes out of my racquet. Try to hide my shots a little bit better.

“I think that I’m kind of too easy to read. My shots are not as efficient on the faster, low bouncy indoor as clay.”

Prior to the Norwegian’s win, Jaume Munar upended Shelton in the biggest upset so far this week inside Ford Center at The Star.

The Spaniard held his nerve to close out the Australian Open semifinalist, 6-2, 7-6 (3). The effort sealed Munar’s second Top 20 win on hard courts this year, having taken out Lorenzo Musetti in the Hong Kong quarterfinals.

“It shows my level is rising. I feel more comfortable on this kind of surface,” he told press. “I’ve been working a lot on being a little bit more aggressive. I’m serving bigger.”

Eighth seed Matteo Arnaldi awaits in the last eight. Arnaldi cruised past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 6-1, 6-3.

Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz, the top-two ranked Americans in the ATP rankings, now look to turn the narrative around for seeded U.S. entrants as the featured night-session compeitors.