Ben Shelton rallied from a set down to beat Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Monday night. The American eighth seed advanced to his third quarterfinal in Melbourne, setting up a rematch with defending champion Jannik Sinner. Shelton's victory highlighted his growing versatility under night conditions at Rod Laver Arena.
In a match lasting two hours and 36 minutes under the lights of Rod Laver Arena, 23-year-old Ben Shelton overcame an early setback to defeat Norway's Casper Ruud, the 12th seed and former world No. 2. Ruud dominated the opening set 6-3 with heavy topspin and baseline depth, but Shelton adjusted his return positioning and unleashed his powerful serve to win the next three sets convincingly.
Shelton's path to the quarterfinals included straight-set victories over Valentin Vacherot, Dane Sweeny, and Ugo Humbert. For Ruud, who had beaten Marin Cilic and Mattia Bellucci earlier in the tournament, this marked his first fourth-round appearance in Melbourne since 2021. The Norwegian now returns home, where he and his wife Maria are expecting a daughter.
Playing his first night match at the Australian Open, Shelton struggled initially with the cooler, heavier air that affected ball flight. "I struggled to find my rhythm tonight," he said post-match. "It was my first time playing at night since I’ve been here, and the conditions were completely different. But I got through a tough four-set win."
The American fired 14 aces, including one at 228 km/h, and won 97 percent of his net points (29/30). He dropped just three points on serve in the fourth set. Shelton, now ranked No. 7, holds a 5-1 record at majors this year and has reached his fifth career Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Next, Shelton faces Jannik Sinner, who leads their head-to-head 8-1, including last year's Melbourne semifinal. "It’s what you look forward to most in this sport," Shelton said of the matchup. "I wanted to give myself another shot." With 63 aces in the tournament and a 95 percent service game hold rate, Shelton enters as a dangerous contender, though night conditions may challenge his power game again.
