Ben Shelton Reaches First Wimbledon Quarterfinal Defeating Lorenzo Sonego

Ben Shelton, the 10th-seeded American tennis player, advanced to his first Wimbledon quarterfinal in 2025 by defeating Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in four sets, continuing his unbeaten streak against Sonego in Grand Slam matches this year. Shelton's victory was marked by a strong finish, breaking Sonego's serve to avoid a tiebreaker in the fourth set, and he credited his father, a former player, for influencing his grass-court style. Despite an early setback losing the first set 6-3 amid Sonego's varied shot-making and serve tactics, Shelton rebounded decisively in the second set and maintained composure through the close third and fourth sets. Sonego, a seasoned 12-year professional who once trained in football and idolized Roger Federer, struggled against Shelton's developing game and faced challenges with his serve pace, which drew umpire warnings. Shelton, confident in his endurance and ability to improve during matches, looks forward to his next opponent, either top-seeded Jannik Sinner or Grigor Dimitrov. This match highlighted the contrast between Shelton's rising career trajectory and Sonego's experienced but arguably past-prime status, with Shelton poised for further breakthroughs.