Wimbledon 2024: Shelton fights into the fourth round for the first time

London, ENGLAND With his enormous serve and even bigger personality, Ben Shelton (USA) continued to bring drama and excitement to the Wimbledon grass as he reached the fourth round for the first time.

 

Thirty years after his father and coach Bryan made the last 16 of the men’s singles at the All England Club, the American has matched that achievement by winning an all-Yonex, all-lefthanded showdown with Denis Shapovalov (CAN) in five pulsating sets. “We’re back, big dog,” Shelton said to his dad moments after defeating Shapovalov 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on No. 1 Court.

 

Shelton, whose best Grand Slam result to date was reaching the semi-finals of last year’s US Open, has played the maximum 15 sets to progress this far in London. In his first two matches, Shelton fought back from two sets to one down and this time he recovered from losing the opening set to Shapovalov, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist. Shelton’s win took him through to play Jannik Sinner, the World No. 1.

 

King of Queen’s into the last 16

Another American star in Team Yonex, Tommy Paul (USA), also progressed into the last 16 at the grass-court Grand Slam with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Alexander Bublik. Paul has been producing the best grass-court tennis of his career in London this summer as he landed his first ATP title on the surface with his success at Queen’s Club last month.

 

Rybakina surges into the fourth round

Elena Rybakina (KAZ) produced a remarkably high of lawn tennis to defeat Caroline Wozniacki, a former World No. 1 and Australian Open champion, for the loss of just one game. With her 6-0, 6-1 victory, the head-to-toe Yonex ambassador is back in the fourth round of the women’s singles once again, two years after she became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam singles title. Rybakina is the only former champion left in the draw and was the only past winner to progress beyond the first round this year.

 

Paolini makes the last 16 for the first time

A breakthrough season for Jasmine Paolini (ITA) just keeps on getting better and better. The Italian reached her maiden Grand Slam final on the clay of Roland-Garros last month and now she is into the last 16 on the Wimbledon grass for the first time. Until this summer, Paolini had never even won a match on these lawns but now she has three victories, all of which have been in straight sets, including a third-round, 7-6(4), 6-1 win over Bianca Andreescu.

 

Navarro breaks new ground

Emma Navarro (USA), who had never previously won a match at Wimbledon, has now won three, taking her into the fourth round. After winning an all-Yonex match against Naomi Osaka (JPN) in the second round, the American defeated another Yonex athlete in the third round when she came from a set down to defeat Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

 

Vekic returns to the last 16

For the first time in six years, Donna Vekic (CRO) has reached the last 16 at Wimbledon with a 7-6(4), 6-7(3), 6-1 win over fellow Yonex star Dayana Yastremska (UKR). 

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