Ben Shelton advanced to his first Wimbledon quarterfinal after defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in four sets: 3–6, 6–1, 7–6, 7–5. The match was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts, with Sonego taking the first set and pushing Shelton to dig deep. The American responded with powerful serving, aggressive net play, and a composed tiebreak performance in the third set. He sealed the win with a break in the final game, letting out a roar and pounding his chest in celebration.
A nod to his roots
In his on-court interview, Shelton was quick to credit his father, Bryan Shelton, as the inspiration behind his game. “He was in the round of 16 here 31 years ago,” Ben said, smiling. “He loved a serve and volley. He had a big serve, came forward all the time. He’d like to see me come forward more than I am. My argument is that I think I’m better than him from the baseline.”
Bryan Shelton, a former professional player and now Ben’s coach, watched proudly from the stands alongside Ben’s mother, sister Emma, and girlfriend Trinity Rodman. The family presence was clearly meaningful to the 22-year-old, who said, “I don’t want to be out here by myself. I want to do it with people I love, and I’ve got a lot of people I love over there.”
Embracing the Wimbledon crowd
Shelton also shared his surprise at the energy of the Wimbledon crowd. “I was told the crowds here were a bit quieter, but I didn’t feel that today,” he said. “I’m getting very comfortable out here on Court One. I love playing in front of you guys.”
The American’s charisma and humor were on full display when he playfully corrected BBC presenter Annabel Croft, who mistakenly referred to him as a “quarterbacker.” Shelton laughed it off, saying, “I’m not sure many people in the crowd know what that is. It’s that sport where they use that brown, oval-shaped ball.”
Looking ahead with confidence
With this win, Shelton becomes the second American man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2025. He now awaits a clash with either world No. 1 Jannik Sinner or Grigor Dimitrov. Reflecting on his performance, Shelton said, “I’m happy with the way I played that last game. I felt like that was my best tennis, my best returning, and that’s what I’m going to need to continue in this tournament.”
As he continues his breakout season, Shelton’s mix of power, personality, and perspective is making him one of the most compelling figures in the sport.
Shelton in Wimbledon, ranking, and results in 2025
Ranked world no.10 (career-high), Shelton achieved a composed 23-14 win-loss record in 2025. Shelton is participating in Wimbledon where he ousted the world no.179 Alex Bolt 6-4 7-6(1) 7-6, the world no.87 Rinky Hijikata 6-2 7-5 6-4, the world no.105 Marton Fucsovics 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 and the world no.47 Lorenzo Sonego 3-6 6-1 7-6(1) 7-5.
Shelton got to the final in Munich (BMW Open).