Sinner’s Break Point Magic Leads to Revenge Win Over Shelton in Shanghai

Jannik Sinner got his sweet revenge against Ben Shelton in the fourth round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters. A year ago, these two faced off at the same stage, and it was Shelton who emerged victorious in their first ATP Tour encounter. But since that defeat, Sinner has turned the tables, winning three straight matches against Shelton.

Sinner was fired up for this match after last year’s loss. However, Shelton also had high hopes because he enjoys playing big matches and had defeated Sinner in Shanghai before. The match kicked off with Shelton having a chance to break early as he pushed Sinner to 30-40 on his serve.

Shelton’s serve was on fire in the first set; he hit an incredible 95% of his first serves, making it nearly impossible for Sinner to counter. Yet when it mattered most, during the ninth game of the set, Shelton faltered and lost his serve. Despite showing moments where he seemed superior, he ended up losing the first set 6-4.

Intense Second Set:

In the second set, although not as flawless with his first serves (61%), Shelton still won most rallies after landing them. He managed to create break points but couldn’t capitalize due to Sinner’s clever play and a stunning drop shot save by him at one point. Fans might think this match was like a rollercoaster ride!

Shelton pressed hard again but failed to convert any of his seven break points throughout the match. Meanwhile, Sinner made good use of his sole opportunity and that made all the difference.

The second set went into a tie-breaker where Shelton couldn’t keep up and fell short as Sinner dominated with a 7-1 scoreline, clinching victory with final scores of 6-4, 7-6(1). This win propelled him into his 14th quarter-final this season!

Sinner now awaits either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas next—two players who have managed to beat him earlier this year. What do you think about these thrilling tennis battles?