American tennis star Ben Shelton found himself overwhelmed by Jannik Sinner’s incredible ball speed during their Wimbledon quarter-final clash, describing it as an “almost 2x speed” experience.
Sinner Dominates Despite Injury Concerns
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner showed no signs of a lingering elbow injury as he convincingly defeated the 10th-seeded Ben Shelton in straight sets at Wimbledon. Sinner secured his spot in the semi-finals with a 6-7(2), 4-6, 4-6 victory.
Despite entering the match with a protective arm sleeve, a precaution following his fourth-round walkover, Sinner dominated the proceedings. His commanding performance left Shelton grappling with another Grand Slam defeat at the hands of one of the tour’s top players.
“Things are in 2x Speed”
The 22-year-old Shelton, who now holds a 1-6 head-to-head record against Sinner, expressed his astonishment at the Italian’s ball-striking pace. He admitted it was unlike anything he had ever encountered on court.
“His ball speed is really high. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Shelton remarked. He added, “When you play him, it’s almost like things are in 2x speed. It’s difficult when a guy is hitting the ball that big that consistently off both wings and serving the way he is.”
Shelton acknowledged his struggle to adapt to Sinner’s relentless pace, noting that he usually excels at adjusting to different speeds. The sheer consistency of Sinner’s powerful shots proved to be the decisive factor.
Learning on Grass
Reflecting on his performance, Shelton felt he had the right game plan for much of the match. He believed his serve was better than in previous encounters, like at the Australian Open, but his first serve percentage dropped at crucial moments.
He admitted playing too tentatively, especially with his forehands. “It was almost like a lot of the forehands I was hitting that you need to go for against a guy like that, I was kind of spinning them, topping out. Like I was playing on a slower hard court or a clay court,” Shelton explained.
Shelton highlighted that he is still learning what works best on grass courts. He felt he didn’t consistently execute the shots needed to make Sinner uncomfortable during their quarter-final match.
A Critical Look Forward
Despite reaching the quarter-finals at three of the four Grand Slams and making it to the second week in six of his 12 major appearances, Shelton remains highly self-critical. He prefers to focus on areas for improvement rather than dwelling on his achievements.
“I could sit there and be like, ‘Wow, 22 years old and I’ve been able to do these things and achieve these things’,” Shelton stated. “But my mind is, I don’t know, critical. I’m a critical thinker. I’m trying to solve problems. I know that I’m not where I want to be. That’s kind of what I’m focusing on.”
- Ben Shelton described Jannik Sinner’s ball speed as “almost 2x speed,” unlike anything he’d seen before.
- Sinner won in straight sets, showing no ill effects from a recent elbow injury.
- Shelton acknowledged his own tentative play and difficulty adjusting to Sinner’s power.
- Despite his Grand Slam success, Shelton remains focused on continuous improvement.
Jannik Sinner will now face seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated semi-final clash, a rematch of their French Open encounter earlier this year.
