Ben Shelton, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, made quick work of Australian Rinky Hijikata in their second-round Wimbledon match, sealing a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory. The match, which had been suspended the previous evening with Shelton leading 5-4 in the third set, resumed just before noon. In a remarkable display, Shelton closed out the contest in about a minute, delivering three aces among four points.
After the match, the 10th-seeded Shelton reflected on the unusual experience of transitioning from a lengthy prior match to a rapid conclusion. “I was hoping to maybe hit a few groundstrokes today. I might have to go to the practice courts,” he quipped, acknowledging the abrupt shift in playstyle.
The American player, who previously reached the semi-finals at the 2023 US Open and the Australian Open, was halted at 9.30pm due to the lack of lighting on Court No.2. When play resumed, Shelton needed little time to regain his momentum, firing a 226km/h serve to start. Following an unreturned serve, he registered back-to-back aces at 225km/h and 189km/h, wrapping up the match swiftly.
Shelton expressed his delight at converting three aces while serving for the match, saying, “To hit three aces and take the pressure off of myself, I couldn’t have been happier.” He will now face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, currently ranked 105th, for a place in the fourth round, potentially marking his second consecutive year advancing this far at Wimbledon.
The match featured suspense before the interruption, during which Shelton had three match points at 5-3, but Hijikata rallied to snatch five consecutive points, extending the contest momentarily. Shelton faced only three break points and successfully defended all of them. In his assessment, he described the encounter as “a great match” and “a clean match.” His progression in the tournament brings heightened anticipation for his upcoming matchup.
Shelton concluded his remarks to the audience with an apology for the brief display of tennis, acknowledging their eagerness for longer play.