Ben Shelton Powers Past Lorenzo Sonego to Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals

Ben Shelton has reached his first Australian Open semi-final after defeating Lorenzo Sonego in a thrilling four-set match.

Ben Shelton, the 22-year-old American 21st seed, has advanced to his first Australian Open semi-final after defeating Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) on Wednesday. Shelton will face either defending champion Jannik Sinner or Australia's Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals for a spot in the final at Melbourne Park.

The match on Rod Laver Arena was dominated by serve, with Shelton having the edge over his unseeded Italian opponent for the first two sets. Sonego, ranked 55th in the world, refused to give up and took the third set before Shelton reasserted himself to win a grueling fourth set on a tiebreak. After the match, Shelton expressed his relief, saying, “I'm relieved right now.”

Shelton also praised his opponent, stating, “Shout-out to Lorenzo because that was some ridiculous tennis.” The American left-hander, who reached his second Grand Slam semi-final, was thrilled to have secured his first win on Rod Laver Arena. “I'm just really happy to be through, getting my first win here on Rod Laver,” he added. Shelton's first Grand Slam semi-final appearance came at the 2023 US Open, where he was defeated by eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Both Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Sonego benefited from a quarter of the draw that was left wide open after the early exits of top-10 seeds Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev. This allowed them to reach the last eight, where they engaged in a tightly contested match.

The four sets were closely fought, with Shelton saving three break points to level at 3-3 in the first. He eventually manufactured a break when Sonego went long in the ninth game. Shelton sealed the opener with a monstrous ace, which showcased his impressive serving ability.

In the next game, Sonego produced one of the shots of the tournament to save a breakpoint. The Italian dived full-length for a drop volley that spun wickedly, bouncing back over the net before Shelton could retrieve it. Shelton was impressed, offering a congratulatory fist bump to Sonego, who milked the ovation from a packed Rod Laver Arena.

Shelton extended his lead to two sets courtesy of a rocket forehand winner. However, Sonego refused to give up and clawed back a set with a late break in the third. Ultimately, Shelton secured his last-four berth via a tiebreak, winning the match in 3 hours and 50 minutes.

Sonego, 29, had an impressive run in the tournament, ending the runs of two of the hottest young properties in tennis and ousting a former champion. He knocked out 2014 Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka in round one, then beat NextGen champion Joao Fonseca, 18, in a five-set epic. In the fourth round, he overcame 19-year-old Learner Tien, the conqueror of three-time finalist Medvedev.