Ben Shelton, who is Sinner’s opponent to Australian Open

After beating Musetti and Sonego, Ben Shelton, n. 20 of the world (13 last August and 14 in the live ranking), he will now try to put the sticks in the wheels a Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the Australian Open. The 22 -year -old US is the son of art. His dad Bryan, in fact, was n. 55 in 1992 also reaching the round of 16 to Wimbledon. Mancino of great talent, equipped with a powerful service, an excellent straight and a good two -handed backhand, Shelton has his Achilles heel in the tactical choices. Precisely for this reason he still failed to enter the top ten.

In 2023 the semifinal at the US Open

Exploded in 2023, when he reached the quarterfourors in Melbourne, the semifinal at the US Open and then won the ATP 500 of Tokyo, the Atlanta boy, nicknamed ‘The Mountain’ for his remarkable stature (193 cm), not yes It is repeated in 2024 in which he distinguished himself only for his second title, obtained in Houston’s ATP 250, and for the round of 16 centered in Wimbledon.

Has eliminated Musetti and Sonego

In these Australian Open he has come out great from difficult situations, showing that he has improved in terms of patience. In the first round he defeated 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 7-5 the compatriot Brandon Nakashima after saving 5 set-points in the first part. In the second round the Spaniard Pablo Carreno bent 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4. To the third came to the head of Lorenzo Musetti For 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), in the round of 16 he took advantage of the retirement of the Frenchman Gael Monfils, who at 38 had to surrender to tiredness while he was under 7-6 ( 7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/2), 1-0, finally in the quarterfinals it folded an excellent Sonego per 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4).

Sinner leads 4-1 in the previous ones

Friday will be the sixth comparison between Sinner and Shelton. The number 1 in the world is in the lead 4-1 in the previous ones. The American won the first challenge (2-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 of Shanghai 2023) but lost the next 4: in the first round of the Vienna 2023 tournament (7-6, 7- 5), and then the three that took place last year, in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 of Indian Wells (7-6, 6-1), to the roundabouts of Wimbledon (6-2, 6-4, 7-6) and in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 of Shanghai (6-4, 7-6).