Jannik Sinner was simply too good for Ben Shelton in the Paris Masters quarterfinals.
The Italian didn’t look 100% fit, but didn’t need to be as he secured the win in straight sets. 6-3, 6-3, to book his place in the last four of the Paris Masters.
He has now won 24 consecutive ATP Tour matches on indoor hard courts and will be tough to beat in the semifinals.
Sinner will play either Alexander Zverev or Daniil Medvedev in the last four on Saturday, November 1.
Following his win over Shelton, Sinner complimented the young American, highlighting the area of his game that he believes is ‘incredible’.
Jannik Sinner says Ben Shelton’s serve is ‘incredible’ after beating him
During his post-match interview, Sinner had this to say about Shelton.
“I’m very happy. It was a very, very tough match,” he said.
“You know, already before the match against Ben [Shelton], at times you don’t have much control because of his incredible serving, but I felt like today I was returning well.”
Sinner put Shelton under pressure in their quarterfinal match, causing him to produce a subpar serving performance.
Ben Shelton’s serving stats vs Jannik Sinner
- Aces – 7
- Double faults – 5
- 1st Serve % – 67%
- Win % on 1st Serve – 68%
- Win % on 2nd Serve – 42%
The Italian was pleased with his efforts, securing his seventh consecutive win over the 23-year-old.
“From the back of the court, I played solidly and also very aggressively, so I’m happy about today’s match,” said Sinner.
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2025 Paris Masters – QF | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2025 Wimbledon – QF | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2025 Australian Open – SF | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2024 Shanghai Masters – 4R | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 6-4, 7-6 |
| 2024 Wimbledon – 4R | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 |
| 2024 Indian Wells – 4R | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 7-6, 6-1 |
| 2023 Vienna Open – 1R | Jannik Sinner | Ben Shelton | 7-6, 7-5 |
| 2023 Shanghai Masters – 4R | Ben Shelton | Jannik Sinner | 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 |
“Now let’s see what is coming. Tomorrow is going to be a very physical match coming up, so let’s see how I’m going to feel.”
Sinner was then asked about the prospect of taking the world number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz, which is becoming more and more likely as the tournament progresses.
“Honestly, at the moment I’m not thinking about the ranking, it’s all a consequence of how I’m playing,” he said.
Live Rankings (Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner)
- 1. Carlos Alcaraz – 11,250 points
- 2. Jannik Sinner – 10,900 points
“We go day by day, and every day you have very difficult challenges coming up.
“Today was a very tough one, so I’m happy to come through. Then whatever comes out, comes out.”
Sinner briefly looked ahead to the semifinals before thanking the fans in Paris to wrap up the interview.
“It means a lot to make the semis here in Paris, it has been a very long season with some great results, and I never take these results for granted, so I am happy to be in the situation where I am,” he said.
“Tomorrow is again a very important day, but I am looking forward to it.
“The crowd here are amazing, it doesn’t matter who is playing, they push us to the limit.”
Jannik Sinner finally finds his form in Paris
Prior to 2025, Sinner hadn’t been past the third round at the Paris Masters.
The Italian lost in the second round in 2021, the first round in 2022, and the third round in 2023.
Missing the event with an illness in 2024, Sinner was unable to prove himself in the French capital last time around.
Entering the 2025 tournament with a dismal 1-2 record, Sinner has now gone above .500, at 4-2.
He’ll no doubt look to go all the way in Paris and improve his record to 6-2 by the end of this year’s event.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
