“Those are the matches I live for” – Shelton relishing Sinner challenge ahead of Indian Wells clash

The American is set to take on the reigning Australian Open champion for the third time in his career, with the pair having split their opening two encounters

Ben Shelton at the 2023 US Open (Chryslene Caillaud/Panoramic)

Jamie Malachy

March 11, 2024

BNP Paribas Open •Round of 16 • completed

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B. SheltonvsJ. Sinner

Since the US Open last September, Jannik Sinner has lost just two two tennis matches. One of those losses was to Novak Djokovic in the final of the ATP Finals, and the other was to Ben Shelton in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.

Since each of those losses, Sinner has twice avenged his defeat to the 24-time Grand Slam champion while also levelling up his head-to-head against Shelton.

Yet, while the Italian’s remarkable 17-match winning streak has shown no sign of ending in Indian Wells this week, the explosive young American is an opponent Sinner will be acutely wary of.

With only two meetings between the pair to date – and their first in the unique conditions of the Californian desert – there are still many unknowns regarding how their game styles will match up.

Their head-to-head record is 1-1, with both of these matches being closely fought. Against an opponent playing on home soil and with the added curveball of a big-swinging and dynamic left-hander to contend with, Sinner will be under no illusions about the test that is awaiting him. His research will also have shown him that Shelton loves the big occasion and usually lifts his game to meet the level of his opposition.

“Those are the type of matches I live for,” was how Shelton himself put it, speaking in his on-court interview following a thoroughly impressive victory over Jakub Mensik – another rising young talent.

Shelton gets the better of Sinner in Shanghai

“I think it’s one of those matches where you know it’s going to be a physical war. You know how physical he is, the way he plays. How aggressive he is.

“It’s just one of those matches that you know you’re going to have to play aggressive, take your chances, and be confident out on the court.

“I have two matches under my belt against him. Both on hard courts last year. I’m really looking forward to it. The way he’s been playing lately, I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing crowd out here.”

shelton thrives in the big-match atmosphere

Shelton has made no secret of the fact that he relishes the challenge of taking on a top player, and there is currently no ATP player more in form than Sinner.

It was telling that in Shelton’s post-match press conference, he made reference to the differences mentally between facing an underdog and taking on one of the world’s best.

“I think it’s kind of a different feeling playing someone who’s younger than you,” he explained, having just defeated a player three years his junior in Mensik.

“It’s important that you try to flip the script and not have it feel like this guy is coming after me, but no, I’m still coming after him.

“You know, that’s the mindset I try to have when I play older guys. Like, I’m the underdog or the young guy coming after them. It’s important for me when I play guys younger than me to not feel like they’re coming after me.”

When Shelton faces off against Sinner in the third round of Indian Wells, he will be back in a habitat where he thrives – as an underdog taking on one of the finest players in the world.

Sinner remains the favourite for this match, but not by as big a margin as it may first appear.

Whatever the case, being the underdog – at least for now – is exactly how Shelton wants it.