Ben Shelton’s second-round match at Wimbledon was halted due to dwindling light, leaving him on the brink of victory over Australian Rinky Hijikata. The 10th seed was leading 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 and was about to serve for the match when play was suspended at No. 2 Court, which lacks a roof or artificial lighting.
The 22-year-old American had previously held three match points while leading 5-3 and at 0-40 during Hijikata’s serve. However, the Australian, ranked 87th, displayed resilience by winning the next five points to extend the match’s duration. The decision to suspend the proceedings drew a frustrated response from Shelton and disappointment from the crowd, as a supervisor attempted to calm him down.
Commentators remarked on the intensity, with Robbie Koenig noting Shelton’s frustration and Ryan Harrison praising Hijikata’s determination to fight back after facing match points. As the crowd reacted to the decision, Hijikata departed the court, having rallied to make the score 5-4 in the third set.
The match was officially set to resume at a later date, with the suspension occurring just after 9:30 PM local time. Earlier in the week, Taylor Fritz’s match had also been delayed despite having time left to play, reflecting the challenges posed by the lack of adequate lighting at certain venues.
In other Wimbledon news, top seed Jannik Sinner advanced to the third round with a commanding win over Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic, saving all four break points he faced. Sinner, who has yet to reach a final at Wimbledon despite his successes at the Australian Open and US Open, will face Spain’s Pedro Martinez in the next round.
As the competitive atmosphere at Wimbledon continues, Shelton’s match serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of tournament play, exacerbated by the limitations of the venue’s facilities.