Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner is back in yet another Australian Open quarterfinal, where he will take on the No.1-ranked American player, Ben Shelton.
In a rematch of last year’s semifinal at this very tournament, both players will look to bring their best, having performed at a high level all week, each dropping just one set en route to the final eight. With that in mind, here is your complete match guide.
Head-to-Head
These two have faced each other nine times on tour, with Jannik Sinner winning eight of those meetings. Ben Shelton did claim their first encounter in Shanghai three years ago, but since then, Sinner has taken full control of the rivalry.
Remarkably, Sinner has now won the last nineteen consecutive sets played between them, making this one of the most one-sided head-to-head records between two top-level players under the age of 25.
What makes the dominance more striking is that Shelton has rarely even come close in recent meetings. While lopsided rivalries often still include competitive stretches, Sinner’s control here has been near total.
Match Time and Where to Watch
The match will take place during the night session on Rod Laver Arena on Day 11, scheduled to begin around 7:00 PM local time in Melbourne (3:00 AM EST, 8:00 AM GMT).
The match will be broadcast live worldwide on major networks, including:
- United States: ESPN
- Canada: TSN (English), RDS (French)
- Australia: Stan Sport
Coverage in Europe will be available on:
- United Kingdom: TNT Sports
- Italy: Eurosport
- France: Eurosport
- Germany: Eurosport
- Spain: Eurosport
Complete global broadcast details can also be found on the tournament’s official website.
Match Preview
Stylistically, this is about as difficult a matchup for Ben Shelton as any on Tour. Jannik Sinner’s strengths not only neutralize Shelton’s biggest weapons but also expose his weaknesses.
Shelton is an elite server who thrives on short points and first-strike tennis. Unfortunately for him, Sinner is arguably the best returner of serve in the game right now. That forces Shelton to play far more baseline points on serve than he would like, and against a defender and counterpuncher of Sinner’s quality, that is a serious concern.
Even when Shelton’s serve is firing, Sinner can largely match him. Sinner’s own serve has improved dramatically over the years, while Shelton’s return game remains one of the weaker parts of his profile. The serve–return dynamic in this matchup is therefore heavily skewed in Sinner’s favor, which helps explain the nineteen consecutive sets Shelton has lost in this rivalry.
So what can the American do? Realistically, he will need to serve at an exceptional level, use his athleticism to apply pressure on return games, and look to incorporate more net play to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm.
Sinner enters this match on an 18-match winning streak at the Australian Open and remains the best player in the world on this surface. Shelton will almost certainly need to step outside his comfort zone and implement new tactics if he wants to challenge what has become a well-oiled machine in Melbourne.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
