MELBOURNE, Australia — Ben Shelton advanced to the Australian Open semifinals after a thrilling match against Lorenzo Sonego, whose breathtaking play included an incredible diving volley that spun over the net. Despite Sonego’s spectacular performance, Shelton emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday. Shelton, at just 22 years old, has now reached his second Grand Slam semifinal. “I’m relieved,” he expressed after the match. His next opponent will be the top-seeded Jannik Sinner from Italy, who he will face on Friday. “Shout out to Lorenzo Sonego because that was some ridiculous tennis,” Shelton added in acknowledgment of his opponent’s skills.
Sinner, the defending champion at Melbourne Park, displayed an unstoppable performance, dominating the last Australian player in the men’s draw, No. 8 Alex de Minaur. Sinner won decisively with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. De Minaur reflected on his struggles against Sinner, stating, “It’s been too many times playing him and seeing the same thing. So I’m not even surprised anymore when I face him.” Overall, he has not won in ten encounters against Sinner. Following a challenging four-set match in the previous round, Sinner looked rejuvenated, mentioning that a day of rest helped him enormously. “For sure, it was my best match of the tournament so far,” he shared, noting that he has extended his winning streak to 19 matches, dating back to last season.
In his match against Sonego, Shelton showcased his powerful service game, concluding the first set with a remarkable ace clocked at 144 mph (232 kph), one of the fastest serves recorded in the past week and a half. He demonstrated exceptional skill with his forehand, completing a 22-shot rally to earn a vital break in the second set. His father, Bryan, a former professional player and Shelton’s coach, looked on proudly, flexing his own muscles in agreement with his son’s powerful display.
As the match progressed, Shelton’s athleticism shone through. He made an attempt to reach a seemingly impossible shot but ended up colliding with the courtside advertising board. Despite losing the point to Sonego, his effort resulted in a round of applause, especially after he entertained the crowd by doing push-ups post-fall. Closing the match with a forehand winner—his 26th of the match, having recorded none via backhands—Shelton relished in his triumph, flexing his muscles once again and flashing a triumphant smile.
During the press conference, Shelton took the opportunity to voice his critique of how some post-match interviews are conducted. His performance at the Australian Open has been bolstered not only by powerful serves and forehands but also by a developing return game. In this quarterfinal, he faced 11 break points, successfully converting three. As one of the 21st seeds, Shelton had the highest percentage of break points converted among the last eight men in the tournament, achieving 52%.
Looking ahead, Shelton is set to take on Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated semifinal. Djokovic is in pursuit of his 11th Australian Open title and aims for his 25th Grand Slam trophy, having recently overcome a leg injury to defeat Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a quarterfinal match that stretched late into the night.
On Thursday evening, the women’s semifinals will feature No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, the tournament winner from the past two years, facing off against No. 11 Paula Badosa. Alongside them, No. 2 Iga Swiatek will compete against No. 19 Madison Keys.
The match between Shelton and Sonego was particularly electrifying, as Sonego had never previously advanced to this stage in a major tournament. The Italian utilized his net skills effectively, winning 67 out of 90 net approaches. His breathtaking volley at the start of the second set earned him Shelton’s respect, as he was congratulated with a handshake for his incredible effort. Sonego also made headlines with another stunning shot in the fourth set, a remarkable hook shot taken while spun away from the net. Nevertheless, it is Shelton who will continue his journey in Melbourne this year.
