World number one Jannik Sinner overcame a determined challenge from 14th seed Ben Shelton, securing a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(9) victory to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Sunday.
Shelton, known for his powerful serves, started aggressively on the slick turf of Court One, employing serve-and-volley tactics in an attempt to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm. However, the Australian Open champion remained composed, effectively returning Shelton’s serves and capitalizing on opportunities to break the young American twice, comfortably taking the first set.
Sinner continued his strong performance in the second set, consolidating an early break with a powerful ace and extending his lead to two sets. Despite a valiant effort, Shelton found himself facing a tough uphill battle, having already been pushed to the limit in each of his previous three rounds.
The 21-year-old Shelton, however, refused to go down without a fight. He roared back in the third set, taking a commanding 4-1 lead, igniting the hopes of the crowd. Sinner, however, countered with his characteristic power and accuracy, eventually leveling the set at 8-8 and saving a crucial breakpoint to force a tiebreak.
In the tense tiebreak, Shelton initially gained the advantage, earning four set points. However, Sinner remained calm under pressure, successfully fending off each opportunity and ultimately securing the win to advance to the next round. He will now face either fifth seed Daniil Medvedev or 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals.
