Alejandro Tabilo produced a stunning comeback to reach the Washington Open semi-finals as he upset second seed Ben Shelton on Friday.

Tabilo lost the first set but was able to bounce back and claim an impressive 4-6 7-5 6-4 victory to book his spot in the final four and a meeting with Rafael Jodar. 

Shelton and Tabilo traded early breaks in the first set, but it was the American who was able to get the better of his opponents serve in the ninth game to get himself in front. 

However, Tabilo was able to force a decider. After saving four break points in the ninth game of the second set, he won back-to-back games to take the match the distance. 

Both players failed to capitalise on their respective breaks midway through the third set, but Tabilo did not make the same mistake twice. He confirmed his win against the serve with a ferocious forehand that Shelton could only return into the net. 

"The second set was a mental effort and the third set was physical," Tabilo said. "The crowd and my team helped me come through. And now we're here. It's unbelievable."

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And Tabilo's reward is a meeting with Jodar, who produced an upset of his own against fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti and also came from a set down to emerge victorious. 

Playing in his first tournament since May after a period on the sidelines with a thigh injury, Musetti was unable to convert his early advantage as Jodar claimed a 1-6 6-1 6-4 win.

"I didn't start very well, with Lorenzo winning the first set 6-1," Jodar said. "I had to reset mentally. I think I did a great job, especially at the beginning of the second set.

"I served very well, and it gave me the opportunity to win the second and third sets. Really happy with how I reset."

But third seed Taylor Fritz was able to come out on top in a three-set thriller with compatriot Alex Michelsen to ensure his spot in the semi-finals in Washington. 

Fritz saved match point and overcame a medical timeout for a knee injury in the third set to earn a 6-1 3-6 7-6 (8-6) win, with fellow American Brandon Nakashima up next. 

Tabilo and Jodar set for reunion as Fritz keeps the American dream alive

Following his win against Musetti, Jodar will make his debut inside the top 20 of the ATP rankings on Monday, though he will have his eyes firmly fixed on becoming the first Spaniard since Alex Corretja in 2000 to win the Washington title. 

And he will come up against a familiar face in Tabilo, having squared up against him at Indian Wells earlier this year. Jodar was on the wrong side of that result with the Chilean winning 6-1 6-2, and he will be hoping for revenge this time around.  

But Fritz will certainly want to have his say on who wins the title. The highest-ranked seed left in the tournament reached his fourth semi-final of the year and his first in the American capital since 2023.