Ben Shelton dominated from start to finish Sunday night, breezing into the U.S. Open quarterfinal — and looking like a threat for even more. Far more.
The athletic lefty crushed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in Arthur Ashe Stadium, finally putting together a complete performance in Flushing Meadows.
“My team told me that if I didn’t show fully focused (Sunday), they were going to leave,” Shelton joked. “Yeah, I think it was all in my head, to be honest. I was focused, played a complete match from start to finish. Yeah, really happy with this performance. It’s my first straightforward match so far this year. I’m happy with the way I play, and I’m happy I can play this way in front of you guys.”
After being broken nine times through his first three wins of this Open, Shelton never even faced a single break point on Sunday. As a matter of fact, he only lost 14 points on his serve all night in an utterly dominant performance.
Shelton gave the American men three quarterfinalists in their home Slam — a feat they accomplished in 2005 and 2023 — with potential for one more to monopolize half the field.
But it’s still been a staggering 23 years since an American man has won a Slam. Shelton was still in diapers, not even a year old, when Andy Roddick prevailed in Flushing Meadows. But if he keeps playing the way he did Sunday, Shelton could end that drought in this U.S. Open.
Granted, Shelton would have to go through Carlos Alcaraz in a quarterfinal likely Tuesday, the defending champ hilariously having no idea who he was facing in the draw.
But Shelton — 0-3 all-time against the Spaniard — was perfectly clear on who he’s going to have to deal with.
“Yeah. Special tennis. I think the level that he’s been playing at is really, really impressive to be not playing for five months. To come out and do what he’s done so far this tournament has been superhuman. We’re happy to have him back on tour. He lights up the stadium every time he plays. I think it’s going to be fireworks on Tuesday night. I hope you guys come back, because I’m ready to go.”
