While Ben Shelton is renowned for his devastating serve, it was his rapidly improving return game that proved decisive in his fourth-round match against Lorenzo Sonego on Monday.
The contest turned significantly in the third-set tiebreak. With Sonego serving at 129 mph to keep the set alive, Shelton answered with a blistering forehand return down the line that landed perfectly on the baseline, leaving his opponent no time to react.
This newfound prowess was on display again as Shelton closed out the match. With Sonego serving to stay in the contest, Shelton handled the pressure with two deep, controlled forehand blocks on returns—shots he acknowledged he would have struggled to make a year ago.
The 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 7-5 victory propels Shelton into his first Wimbledon quarterfinal, where he will face Jannik Sinner.
“I want to be an elite returner,” Shelton stated after the win. “I’m certainly not there yet, but I’m much better than I was when I started out on tour.”
A quality serve is a formidable weapon at Wimbledon, but the ability to neutralize it is often what separates the great players from the good.
Source link
