Ben Shelton pays ultimate tribute to ‘highlight tape’ Gael Monfils before setting 20-year first at Australian Open
Ben Shelton is back in the Australian Open quarter-finals. The American made his breakthrough in Melbourne during a remarkable run to the last eight at just 20 in 2023. Ben Shelton celebrates a point against Gael Monflis His cause this year was helped by French veteran Gael Monfils being forced to retire in their fourth-round clash as a recurring back injury reared up in a gruelling contest. The 38-year-old was put through the ringer by 22-year-old Shelton who led 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0 after two hours, 56 minutes before Monflis had to end his resurgent form. The Frenchman was struggling to move by the time the fourth set had begun after three sets that ended in tie-breaks and a match that had only just reached three hours. A break down and Shelton serving at 40-0, Monfils spoke to his team and wife Elina Svitolina, who had been victorious earlier in the day, before deciding it was time to stop. A remarkable run in Australia had begun with his first title in 18 months came to an end for the Frenchman who was riding an eight-match win streak that began two weeks ago in Auckland. “Gael is someone I have watched since a little kid, I always say he has the greatest highlight tape of all time, and you saw some of that tonight,” Shelton said during his on-court interview. “At 38 years old, I hope I am still walking without crutches… To push me the way he did today and entertain everyone in New Zealand and Australia in the way he has the last couple of weeks is so impressive.” For the 23-year-old, it is his second quarter-final at Melbourne Park, a city he knows so well after he announced himself to the tennis world when he made his breakthrough here 2 years ago. A place in the last eight also means history after becoming the youngest American male to reach a second singles quarter-final at the Australian Open since Andy Roddick over 20 years ago. In the first ever match between the pair, Monflis attempted to disrupt Shelton’s game by making it slower paced but the 19th seed became extremely aggressive and hit 51 winners during his match. Ben Shelton during his on-court interview following his fourth round match Shelton is into the quarter-finals for the first time since his 2023 breakthrough “Majors you play 3 out of 5. It’s a physical & mental test. A lot of it comes down to toughness… I always back myself competitively in these kinds of moments,” Shelton said after his match. Next for the American is Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, should the 23-year-old win the quarterfinal he will return to his career high of No.13 in the ATP rankings. Sonego overcame Shelton’s fellow American American Learner Tien 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. The Italian has been put through in Melbourne so far, playing 17 sets in a tournament that has seen him beat 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, Joao Fonseca and Fabina Marozsan. Shelton has played less, completing 14 sets down under which included a win over Sonego’s compatriot, 16th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the previous round. The pair will face-off on Wednesday with Shelton looking to match his career best Grand Slam result by reaching the semi-finals, a feat he achieved at the 2023 US Open. An ailing Jannick Sinner looks as a possible semifinal opponent for Shelton, the world no.1 dropped his first set of the tournament against Denmark’s Holger Rune and was visibly shaking as the heat took its’s toll. Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will duke it out in a high profile quarterfinal on the other side of the draw that also features US 12th seed Tommy Paul against Alexander Zverev.
Ben Shelton is back in the Australian Open quarter-finals.
The American made his breakthrough in Melbourne during a remarkable run to the last eight at just 20 in 2023.
His cause this year was helped by French veteran Gael Monfils being forced to retire in their fourth-round clash as a recurring back injury reared up in a gruelling contest.
The 38-year-old was put through the ringer by 22-year-old Shelton who led 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0 after two hours, 56 minutes before Monflis had to end his resurgent form.
The Frenchman was struggling to move by the time the fourth set had begun after three sets that ended in tie-breaks and a match that had only just reached three hours.
A break down and Shelton serving at 40-0, Monfils spoke to his team and wife Elina Svitolina, who had been victorious earlier in the day, before deciding it was time to stop.
A remarkable run in Australia had begun with his first title in 18 months came to an end for the Frenchman who was riding an eight-match win streak that began two weeks ago in Auckland.
“Gael is someone I have watched since a little kid, I always say he has the greatest highlight tape of all time, and you saw some of that tonight,” Shelton said during his on-court interview.
“At 38 years old, I hope I am still walking without crutches… To push me the way he did today and entertain everyone in New Zealand and Australia in the way he has the last couple of weeks is so impressive.”
For the 23-year-old, it is his second quarter-final at Melbourne Park, a city he knows so well after he announced himself to the tennis world when he made his breakthrough here 2 years ago.
A place in the last eight also means history after becoming the youngest American male to reach a second singles quarter-final at the Australian Open since Andy Roddick over 20 years ago.
In the first ever match between the pair, Monflis attempted to disrupt Shelton’s game by making it slower paced but the 19th seed became extremely aggressive and hit 51 winners during his match.
“Majors you play 3 out of 5. It’s a physical & mental test. A lot of it comes down to toughness… I always back myself competitively in these kinds of moments,” Shelton said after his match.
Next for the American is Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, should the 23-year-old win the quarterfinal he will return to his career high of No.13 in the ATP rankings.
Sonego overcame Shelton’s fellow American American Learner Tien 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
The Italian has been put through in Melbourne so far, playing 17 sets in a tournament that has seen him beat 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, Joao Fonseca and Fabina Marozsan.
Shelton has played less, completing 14 sets down under which included a win over Sonego’s compatriot, 16th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the previous round.
The pair will face-off on Wednesday with Shelton looking to match his career best Grand Slam result by reaching the semi-finals, a feat he achieved at the 2023 US Open.
An ailing Jannick Sinner looks as a possible semifinal opponent for Shelton, the world no.1 dropped his first set of the tournament against Denmark’s Holger Rune and was visibly shaking as the heat took its’s toll.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will duke it out in a high profile quarterfinal on the other side of the draw that also features US 12th seed Tommy Paul against Alexander Zverev.
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