Having played 15 sets in his first three rounds, Ben Shelton was attempting to write Wimbledon history in the last 16.
No player in Grand Slam history has won a quartet of consecutive five-setters, and if that was what it took to become the youngest American quarter-finalist here since Andy Roddick in 2000, then no doubt 21-year-old Shelton would have been up for it.
But with world No.1 Jannik Sinner on the other side of the net, getting to five sets in the first place would have been a major achievement. Returning to No.1 Court for this joust almost exactly 24 hours after sealing his rain-delayed win over Denis Shapovalov, for too much of this match Shelton’s personal fuel tank was understandably running on fumes.
Only in the third set could he threaten. But four times when his chance came to push the match into a fourth chapter, the left-hander couldn’t convert. Worse still, on Sinner’s second match point, Shelton double-faulted.
The Italian’s 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(9) victory extended his winning streak on grass to nine, and earned him a quarter-final berth for the third straight year.
“That was a very tough match, especially the third set,” said Sinner. “These matches can go very long so I’m very happy to close it out in three sets in such an amazing atmosphere.
“Quarter-finals of a Grand Slam is always a privilege to play. Hopefully it will be good to watch.”
Thirty years ago at Wimbledon, Shelton’s father Bryan reached the self-same last 16 having beaten the No.2 seed Michael Stich in the first round. Christian Bergstrom was the man to halt his campaign 10-8 in the fifth set.
Shelton Senior was present again this time, watching from the stands not only as father but also coach. (And since you ask, they are the 11th parent-child combi to do the fourth round double, and the seventh father-son pair.)
Despite this defeat, young Shelton’s southpaw heroics have caught the attention of anyone who managed to overlook him on his debut last year when he reached the second round.
Every inch the crowd-pleaser, the 2023 US Open semi-finalist has a game many consider tailor-made for grass. Four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman has even tipped him as a future champion in SW19.
You wouldn’t quite know that, though, judging by his warm-up to the 2024 Fortnight, with three of his four grass court matches in June resulting in defeat.
But that third round victory over Shapovalov saw his puppyish appeal combine with 38 winners for maximum on-court charisma. The intelligent mix of his service speed, not least the 140mph bombs which had the line judges diving out of the way.
Unfortunately by the time he came up against Sinner, Shelton’s renowned mental resilience was running low.
In Shanghai last year, the American came back from a set down to earn a tough victory over the Italian. In this match, a box-fresh Shelton would have been an intriguing prospect; but on this day, against one of the best returners in the game, he couldn’t get a look-in until the start of the third set.
As Sinner suddenly leaked errors, Shelton stepped up his first serve to 138mph, and his second to 135mph, scoring highly on the terrifying-o-meter. At 0-3 down Sinner roused himself again, reaching 5-5 by following an improbable hot dog pick-up with a crosscourt winner. (“Just luck,” he explained modestly afterwards.)
With the crowd roaring and Shelton staring in disbelief, even Sinner smiled at that one. But the pesky errors wouldn’t stop. Four times Shelton had a point to stretch the match into another chapter. He just couldn’t get there, and his double-fault on Sinner’s second match point was a horrible way to end.
It wasn’t the big stage that did for the young American – there is nowhere he is likelier to thrive, and he’s welcome back on this one anytime. But it’s Sinner who goes through.
