MELBOURNE, Australia — In a captivating display of tennis, Ben Shelton triumphed over Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, securing a place in the semifinals. Sonego, whose diving volley showed incredible spin, managed to produce one of the most impressive shots of the tournament, but it was Shelton who emerged victorious on Wednesday.
The left-handed American entertained the crowd, even doing push-ups after a fall during the thrilling tiebreak. At just 22 years old, Shelton reached his second Grand Slam semifinal by defeating unseeded Sonego with a score of 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4).
“I’m relieved,” Shelton said after the match. He is set to face either top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy or No. 8 Alex de Minaur of Australia for a chance to play in Sunday’s final. “A big congratulations to Lorenzo Sonego, because it was incredible tennis. »
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Ranked 21st, Shelton closed out the first set with a remarkable 144 mph ace—tying the fastest serve recorded at Melbourne Park in the past week and a half. His powerful forehand, which ended a 22-stroke rally, proved his impressive skills, catching the attention of his father Bryan, a former tour professional and Shelton’s coach.
Dramatic moments unfolded as Shelton dove for a seemingly unreachable ball, stunning the crowd despite falling on a billboard, allowing Sonego to score an easy point. Even in defeat, Sonego’s efforts earned applause from the spectators.
In a notable performance, Shelton closed out the match with his 26th forehand winner, having scored no points with backhand shots, showing off his muscles in triumph, before going from a sneer to a smile on his face.
-Shelton’s success isn’t all about his powerful serves and forehands; an improved return game played a significant role in their advancement to the semifinals. He accumulated 11 break points against Sonego, managing to convert three of them. Prior to this match, Shelton boasted an impressive 52% conversion rate on break points—the highest of any of the eight men’s quarterfinalists.
Having faced 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the 2023 US Open semi-final, Shelton’s next opponent will be determined after the scheduled match between Sinner and de Minaur in the final quarter-final on Wednesday.
In the other half of the draw, Djokovic hopes to win his 11th Australian Open title and 25th major title of his career, overcoming a leg injury to beat Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 4-6, 6- 4, 6-3, 6-4, in a quarterfinal match that stretched into early Wednesday morning.
This Thursday, the women’s semi-finals will pit number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, winner of the last two tournaments, against number 11 Paula Badosa, as well as number 2 Iga Swiatek against number 19 Madison Keys.
The duel between Shelton and Sonego undeniably delighted the public, Sonego displaying a commendable performance with 67 successes out of 90 on approach to the net. His extraordinary volley at the start of the second set even prompted Shelton to offer him a handshake as a sign of recognition.
Moments of brilliance were seen from Sonego, notably in the fourth set when he executed an impressive hook shot while running with his back to the net.
Ultimately, it’s Shelton who continues to chase glory in Melbourne this season.
