Ben Shelton keeps finding a way to survive and advance at Wimbledon.
In his second-round match on Thursday, 14th-seeded Shelton eked out his second consecutive five-set victory, beating qualifier Lloyd Harris 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6 (10-7) in three hours and 49 minutes. He also brought American fans to their feet.
“The atmosphere was closer to that of a football match than what you might expect at SW19,” wrote ATP staff. “When Shelton attacked Harris’ backhand to force an error at 6/5 in the final-set tie-break, earning a critical mini-break, fans burst out into chants of ‘USA, USA, USA.’ It is only fitting it is the Fourth of July.”
Grass courts aren’t Shelton’s forte, which may explain why the 14th-ranked player in the world isn’t easily winning matches at the All England Club. In 2024, the 21-year-old has posted a 3-3 record on grass, compared to an 18-11 record on other surfaces, via Tennis.com.
Winning two close grass-court matches could help him build some momentum, though, which he needs to make it to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time.
On Friday, he’ll face Denis Shapovalov for the first time. Shelton should have the edge in this matchup. This season, he has won more matches (20-14) than the 25-year-old Canadian (10-15).
Shelton broke out in 2023, making the Australian Open quarterfinal and U.S. Open semifinal. However, he hasn’t advanced past the third round of a grand slam this year. A deep run at Wimbledon would prove he’s still a rising star and not backsliding.