Ben Shelton on Sinner loss: ‘I’m trying to put all the pieces together’ | ATP tour | Tennis

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Shelton on Sinner loss: ‘I’m trying to put all the pieces together’

American has lost all four major meetings against Sinner
January 28, 2026

Ben Shelton may have been stopped for the fourth time at a major by Jannik Sinner, but the American left Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday with plenty to be encouraged after another deep Grand Slam run.

The eighth seed dropped just one set en route to his fifth major quarter-final before facing the Italian again, with Sinner extending his dominance in the rivalry to take a 9-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“I think my level is better, and I’m getting better and a lot less limited,” Shelton said when analyzing his progress. “I think this game takes time, and the results don’t always come when you want them. I’m getting to the point now where I’m being held back for the most part by the toughest challenge in the game, and I think I’ve almost got everything together.
“I think it just takes that one time to get me over the hump. It’s always been that way for me. Certainly not discouraged by a performance like this, but I want to see myself at the front and see what I can do from there in a match, rather than falling behind just because I know how I feel when I get to the front at slams. I feel like I’m untouchable. I guarantee the other guys at the top feel exactly the same.”

“It’s a matter of time and work to put all the pieces together, because I’m not complete yet, but I feel myself becoming more and more complete.”

Shelton reached his first major quarterfinal at the Australian Open in 2023. The 23-year-old has since won three tour-level titles, including his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Toronto, and has reached the Top 5 of the PIF ATP Rankings.

Shelton has often performed at Slams, culminating in the semi-finals at the US Open (2023) and Australian Open (2025). Under those circumstances, he admits, his competitive instincts are strongest.

“I’m an addict. I’ve become more and more addicted to this game and figuring things out as I chase the guys in front of me,” Shelton said. “It’s feeling the pressure you feel on the court at a Grand Slam, there is no better feeling… That’s what drives me every day, and I feel like that drive gets stronger and stronger every year.”

Shelton caused problems for two-time defending champion Sinner at times with his devastating first serve and bruising forehand but was unable to capitalize in key moments in his 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 defeat.
“I think I looked for break points twice today on the second serve, and I think I missed them both, or maybe I hit one of them weakly and it spread me quickly,” Shelton said, reflecting on the match.

“I think I can get away with other guys by playing the court and either being neutral or having to scramble a little bit on the first ball and then go back to the neutral position or go on the attack. I’ve done that really well. But with a guy who has the plus-one ability that he has from both sides, I had to be a lot better and have more purpose with my second serve, which I thought he had against me. He was able to put me in awkward positions and committing attacks quite a few times on my second serve and makes me think about which serve I was using.