Ben Shelton is up and running on the grass in 2024 as he reached the quarter-finals of the Mallorca Open.
Following a disappointing opening round loss at Queen’s the American arrived on the Spanish island determined to build some momentum ahead of Wimbledon.
Playing as the top seed in Mallorca, the 21-year-old made an impressive start to his campaign with a win over Rinky Hijikata.
Shelton lost just four games on the way to winning his first match against the Australian on the ATP Tour.
What did Ben Shelton do for the first time in 2024?
With his victory over Hijikata, Shelton registered his first grass court win of the season. In fact, this win is only the third of his entire career on the surface. In 2023 he beat compatriot J.J. Wolf before outlasting Taro Daniel in five sets at Wimbledon.
Shelton’s weight of shot proved too much for Hijikata to handle, especially on the return where the World number 14 won 67% of his second-serve return points.
He also saved all six of the break points he faced on the way to a 6-4, 6-0 win and Shelton was very pleased to secure his first match win at the Mallorca Open.
“It was a really fun match today. I’m happy to be back in Mallorca. I love playing here,” he said post-match. “I had a really tough first match here last year, losing 7-6 in the third [to eventual champion Christopher Eubanks].
“So I’m really happy to get my first win here. I’m really pleased with how I played today. I’m getting used to [grass] day by day.”
Who does Ben Shelton play next?
Shelton will play just the ninth grass court match of his career when takes on Britain’s Paul Jubb in the Mallorca Open quarter-finals.
Like Shelton, the 24-year-old also competed on the American collegiate circuit and claimed the title in 2019.
He defeated Adam Walton 6-0, 6-3 to reach his first tour-level quarter-final where he will play Shelton for the first time.
Jubb ended a streak of four successive defeats at ATP level and he will claim the biggest win of his career if he can bring Shelton’s run on the Spanish island to an end.
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