The sun-soaked clay of Roland Garros’ Court Philippe-Chatrier set the stage for an electrifying fourth-round clash at the 2025 French Open, where 22-year-old American Ben Shelton pushed reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz to the brink in a three-hour, 19-minute battle. Despite falling 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, Shelton’s dynamic performance against the World No. 2 marked his deepest run at the clay-court Grand Slam and sparked widespread praise. Reflecting on the match, Shelton expressed a mix of pride and determination, highlighting how close he felt to toppling one of tennis’s brightest stars. His comments reveal a player on the cusp of greatness, fueled by newfound confidence and a growing rivalry with Alcaraz that promises to captivate fans for years.
Shelton, ranked No. 13, entered the match as the underdog, with Alcaraz holding a 2-0 head-to-head lead from prior victories at the 2023 Canadian Open and 2024 Laver Cup. Yet, on June 1, 2025, the American’s booming serve and relentless groundstrokes kept the Spaniard on edge. Shelton had three set points in a gripping first-set tiebreak, only for Alcaraz to claw back with a whipped forehand winner. “The most pressure that I thought that I’ve applied. The most comfortable that I felt in the baseline exchanges. The best I’ve hit my open-stance backhand when he’s put pressure there,” Shelton said, his voice brimming with optimism. “I don’t want to be disrespectful and just be, like, ‘yeah, I’m right there,’ but I feel like I am close to starting to win some matches like that, give guys a run for their money more often, and have these deeper runs more consistently.”
The match was a showcase of both players’ athleticism and sportsmanship. Early in the second set, Alcaraz made headlines by calling a foul on himself after losing his grip on his racket during a volley, handing Shelton a crucial point. Shelton reciprocated the respect, offering to replay a point in the first set when his serve clipped the net unnoticed by the umpire. “Ben had another thing, for example. His serve touched the net. The umpire didn’t [call] it, and [Shelton] asked me, ‘We can repeat it if you want,’” Alcaraz noted, emphasizing their mutual respect. “It’s just about the respect we have against each other, and I think that sports in general should be like this.” Shelton, initially unaware the point was invalid, was stunned by Alcaraz’s honesty. “I thought it was clean, you know? I thought he hit the volley, and [then] the racket flew out of his hand,” he admitted, adding that Alcaraz’s gesture underscored the Spaniard’s class.
Shelton’s performance was a testament to his growth on clay, a surface once considered his weakest. After a first-round exit at Roland Garros in 2023 and a third-round loss in 2024, his 2025 campaign included a five-set win over Lorenzo Sonego and a quarterfinal run at the Munich Open. Against Alcaraz, he unleashed 150 mph serves and a nasty slice backhand that forced defensive replies, even from the agile Spaniard. A highlight-reel moment came in the third set when Shelton, sprinting left, fired a sharp-angled forehand, only for Alcaraz to counter with a backhand drop shot that left Shelton smiling in defeat. “I enjoyed it 100 percent,” Shelton said, reflecting on the match’s intensity and the electric atmosphere. His third-set victory, sealed with a fist-pumping “Let’s go, baby!” showcased his ability to seize momentum, though Alcaraz’s relentless aggression in the fourth set secured the win.
Shelton’s admiration for Alcaraz, whom he has called his “favorite player to share the court with” for his creativity and crowd-pleasing style, adds depth to their rivalry. “Every time we play, you hear the crowd go crazy on both sides,” he said after their December 2024 Garden suscitante match, where Alcaraz playfully “beat” him up after a fall. With a 41-23 record in 2025 and a career-high ranking of No. 12, Shelton sees his latest defeat as a stepping stone. “Those two matches I’ve lost at slams this year, I consider myself a really good Grand Slam match player,” he said, referencing his Australian Open semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner. As he eyes the top 10, Shelton’s performance against Alcaraz signals a player ready to challenge the elite, with the tennis world buzzing about their next blockbuster encounter.
Leave a Reply