Ben Shelton had the crowd in stitches during his opening-round victory at Wimbledon after a lighthearted slip-up about his favorite Grand Slam. The 22-year-old American quickly clarified his allegiance, jokingly reassuring supporters that the US Open still holds a special place in his heart, where he reached the semifinals in 2023.
Wimbledon Crowd Bursts into Laughter at Ben Shelton’s Slip-Up
Shelton, the No. 10 seed at the 2025 Championships, cruised past Australian qualifier Alex Bolt in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(1), 7-6(4). Known for his booming serve, Shelton landed 15 aces and won 82% of his first-serve points to seal the win. But a moment during his on-court interview drew loud laughter from the Wimbledon crowd.
“I love playing at the Grand Slams. It’s one of my four favorite tournaments here,” Shelton quipped, pausing as the audience erupted in laughter. Realizing his gaffe, he grinned and added, “I can’t do my home slam that dirty, but one of my favorites, 100%. I love playing here every year.”
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The official Wimbledon Instagram account posted the humorous exchange shortly after the match. Shelton couldn’t resist chiming in himself, responding, “Sorry, NYC always comes first.”
Shelton first appeared in the US Open main draw in 2022, where he suffered a first-round exit after losing to Nuno Borges. He enjoyed a breakthrough run at Flushing Meadows in 2023, defeating Pedro Cachin, Dominic Thiem, Aslan Karatsev, and fellow Americans Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe to advance to the semifinals. There, he lost in straight sets to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. In 2024, his campaign ended in the third round with a loss to Tiafoe.
Shelton now moves on to face another Australian, Rinky Hijikata, in the second round at SW19. This will be their second meeting on the ATP Tour, with Shelton winning their first clash at the 2024 Mallorca Championships. They previously faced each other twice on the Challenger circuit, splitting the matches with one win apiece.
The winner of this match will take on either lucky loser Márton Fucsovics or Gaël Monfils in the third round.
Shelton Marks His Third Straight Wimbledon Appearance
Shelton made his Wimbledon debut in 2023, where he defeated Taro Daniel to reach the second round, eventually losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(5), 3-6 to Laslo Djere. The following year, he cruised past Mattia Bellucci, Lloyd Harris, and Denis Shapovalov to reach the fourth round, where he lost 2-6, 4-6, 6-7(9) to Jannik Sinner.
