Shelton shows steel
By his own admission, this wasn’t Ben Shelton at his rocket-fuel best. The big W is all that matters as the American booked a maiden Australian Open semi-final.
The absorbing 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) scoreboard with Lorenzo Sonego sends the No.21 into a popcorn clash with Sinner on Friday night.
World No.55 Sonego canvassed the net to pin Shelton back with a 67/90 success rate. The 22-year-old had to improvise, to remain calm under constant pressure.
“I feel relieved right now,” said Shelton, a semi-finalist at US Open 2023. “Shout out Lorenzo Sonego, because that was some ridiculous tennis. I’m just happy to go through, to get my first win on Rod Laver Arena. It was one of my favourite matches of my career.”
Sonego, who halted Next Gen sensations Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien this fortnight, was relentless in attack. Break point down in the opening game of the second set he dived to reach a last-ditch backhand volley that somehow spun back over the net. Shelton, ever the good sport, shook his hand.
It was that kind of shot-making that Shelton had to withstand, but when it got tight, the world No.20 found the right moves.