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Despite playing the most international sport, Ben Shelton never used his passport until he left for Adelaide just before the New Year.
Now abroad for the first time, she finds herself in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open with a chance to go even further.
The tousled-haired lefty with a bomb-action serve will face fellow American Tommy Paul after beating another American outsider in JJ Wolf, beating him 6-7, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2. in three and three quarters. hours.
Ben Shelton celebrates after winning a five-set thriller against fellow American JJ Wolf
Shelton, 20, will now surpass his father’s best world ranking and enter the top 50
Shelton, whose father Bryan made it to the world’s top sixty in the 1990s, has been the rising star of this tournament and his progress has seen him surpass his father’s career-high ranking.
There are some strange coincidences associated with your success this fortnight. His parents met at this tournament in 1993, as his mother was present as the sister of Todd Witsken, the late American player who died at the age of 34. Witsken reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne, the best result of his career, 35 years ago.
If it could continue, it would probably do more for tennis in America than any series of the type Netflix currently shows about the sport.
The two Americans embrace at the net after their nearly four-hour epic at the Australian Open.
Fans are clamoring for selfies with the 20-year-old as he walks off the court after his big win.
Shelton, 20, is the youngest American player to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal since Andy Roddick in 2001. The Americans have been desperately trying to replace Roddick since he retired and there is optimism that it could happen. as ten of them will be in the world’s top 50 next week.
Three for three in the quarterfinals here for the first time since 2000. Seb Korda, who has perhaps the most potential of all, will play Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the top half of the draw tonight.
Shelton only broke into the world’s top 400 in July, having attended the University of Florida for two years after avoiding the international junior circuit on his father’s advice.
The United States has been searching for a successor to Andy Roddick for the past 11 years.
Having become the national champion in college tennis last year, and then switching mostly to remote studies for a business degree, he ended 2022 by winning three straight Challenger events, then finally decided to pursue the world tour.
“I got on the plane with no expectations. I know it’s very difficult to adjust to Australia from the United States with the jet lag, the time change and everything,” he said.
‘Being my first time, never having been outside of the United States, I knew it would be a struggle. But I think maybe it has helped me a little bit, not having that expectation or feeling that I have to perform.’
He won’t drop out: ‘I’m taking classes at a slightly slower pace than when I was at school full time. I don’t have too hard of a workload. I really want to get my degree, it is something that is important to me. ‘
In doubles, the British Joe Salisbury, champion here in 2020 with his partner Rajeev Ram, came out of the third round after being defeated 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 by the Monegasque Hugo Nys and the Pole Jan Zielinski.
Shelton plays a forehand return; after his win in Wolf, he will play another American in Tommy Paul
Paul celebrates after beating Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut to book his own place in the quarterfinals
Salisbury then discussed the back problems he has been dealing with in recent months, involving disc and ligament problems in his lower spine.
“It’s probably not something that will completely fix itself and I’ll have to keep managing it for the rest of my career,” said the world number two doubles player.
In women’s singles Magda Linette is the unexpected player for Poland in the quarterfinals after defeating world number four Caroline Garcia 7-6 6-4.
Her compatriot Iga Swiatek was destined to be the star of this event, but after her fourth-round loss, world number 45 Linette flies the flag of her country, and will take on former Wimbledon finalist Karolina Pliskova, in the quarterfinals.