“Business as usual” – Shelton becomes youngest American since Roddick to reach fourth round of three Slams in a year
Ben Shelton reached the second week of Wimbledon on Saturday for a third consecutive last-16 appearance at the Grand Slams in the ongoing season
Ben Shelton at Wimbledon | © Action Plus / Psnewz
Ben Shelton is keeping the American men’s tennis hopes up of winning a Grand Slam as he marches on at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.
Shelton overpowered Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in straight sets on Saturday to book his place in the fourth round.
He has made a habit of reaching the second week of Majors. It is his sixth time in the last 16 at Slams since he turned pro in 2022 and third this year.
“I guess it’s becoming more normal for me at the Majors,” Shelton noted in his post-match press conference on Saturday. “When I get to the big tournaments, I’m more confident about getting in the second week and having deep runs because I’ve done it a lot. It is the tournaments that I play the best in, and the format that I enjoy the most.”
I’m getting into the fourth round but not feeling like I arrived somewhere. It’s just business as usual.”
Ben Shelton
The youngster, however, isn’t satisfied and wants to win seven in a row to take the most coveted silverware in tennis home.
“I’m getting into the fourth round but not feeling like I arrived somewhere,” he continued. “It’s just business as usual, on to the next, trying to get to the next round after that. I think it’s huge. The more that you just increase that capacity for work and being able to sustain the level that you’re playing, your fitness level, for seven matches at a Grand Slam, that’s the ultimate goal.”
While reaching the last-16 has become routine for Shelton, it’s a significant moment for American men’s tennis. With Saturday’s result, the 22-year-old became the youngest from his country since Andy Roddick in 2004 to make the fourth round of three Grand Slams in a year.
Roddick was 21 years old when he last achieved the feat.
At the Slams, Shelton has recorded two semi-final runs (US Open 2023 and Australian Open 2025) in his young career, but also faced six first-week exits, with the most recent coming in New York last year. Defending his semi-final run, the southpaw fell to compatriot Frances Tiafoe, whom he had outdone in the quarter-finals the year before.
