Safe to say that Ben Shelton won’t ever forget his first Australian Open in 2023.
Back then, he had barely played any tennis outside his native USA, but made the quarterfinals in only his second Grand Slam main draw.
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The 23-year-old’s success at Melbourne Park continued on Monday night, Shelton moving into a third Australian Open quarterfinal after beating Casper Ruud 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
He cracked a 228km/h serve on the second-last point and delivered 14 aces.
When asked by retired Australian Open champ Jim Courier afterwards why he thrives at the year’s first major, Shelton pointed to his ear. The masses at Rod Laver Arena responded.
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“I think I’m definitely a competitor, rowdy on the court,” he said.
“I look forward to rowdy crowds and down here in Australia … there is no shortage. From my first experience here playing at John Cain (Arena), I fell in love with this tournament. It’s one of my favourites marked off on the calendar every year."
As Shelton has acknowledged, he loves the big stage.
Still in the beginning stages of his career, the left-hander with explosive power has reached the second week in four of his past five Grand Slams.
In the one he did not – last year at the US Open – Shelton led Adrian Mannarino in the third round when he injured his shoulder and eventually had to retire.
It took Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to get the better of him at the majors, something Shelton is hoping to reverse when the lively world No.7 tangles with Sinner in two days.
The two-time defending champion beat Shelton in the semifinals at AO 2025.
“I wanted to be back here and give myself another shot,” said Shelton. “I wanted to improve on some things I didn’t do last year and leave it all out on the court.
“I have a lot more that I want to do here and I have a lot more to prove. So I hope you guys come back in two days’ time, because I’ll be ready to go.”
Ruud exits Melbourne, but managed to equal his career-best by making the fourth round. The No.12 seed might not have even been at AO 2026 in the first place, since his partner Maria is heavily pregnant.
The Norwegian vowed to fly back to Europe immediately if she gave birth.
When Ruud and Shelton last met in 2024 in Acapulco, Shelton did not have a single break point.
He earned a pair in the first game under the lights Monday though could not capitalise as their level-headed dads – who each played professionally – looked on.
A double fault handed Ruud a break for 3-1, and for a long spell afterwards, Shelton barely got into his opponent’s service games.
Indeed, when Ruud stepped up to the line at 4-5 in the second set, he had won 36 of his previous 44 points on serve.
But serving to stay in a set, especially when it is close, can be tough.
Ruud began by missing a volley with the point on his racquet, then got away with one at 15-all when Shelton’s open court passing shot went into the net.
It seemed like the miscue would send Ruud on his way but then a double fault ensued for 30-all, followed by a backhand long.
A skied forehand mishit from the three-time Grand Slam finalist gave the set to Shelton and completely shifted the momentum.
With Shelton now cruising on serve, the onus was on Ruud to keep holding.
But similar to the second set, Shelton pounced late in the third. At 3-4, Ruud’s 40-15 lead vanished, a double fault again surfacing. An errant Ruud forehand made it 5-3.
A surging Shelton was now cracking serves of 227km/h and 221km/h in the fourth set, with Ruud hanging on.
Ruud saved four break points in two different games, but Shelton broke through for 4-3.
An exclamation mark came from Shelton in the final game. He crushed the 228km/h serve before ending with a forehand winner.