SUMMARY
- Ben Shelton was distracted by the hecklers while playing against Francisco Cerundolo.
- Shelton waited patiently for his reply to a heckler during the match at Indian Wells.
Ben Shelton is making his second appearance at Indian Wells this season. He had lost in the second round last year and has improved his track record this time. Shelton was up against Francisco Cerundolo in the third round at Indian Wells. It was the first he faced Cerundolo on the tour. However, the biggest challenge was not Cerundolo but the heckling from the crowd the American had to endure during the match.
Shelton made sure to wait till the end of the match to give the heckler a reply. During the third set tiebreak, he was serving on matchpoint when a fan kept screaming during the serve. After winning the match, Shelton turned towards the fan and placed his finger on his lips. He indicated the fan to be quiet as he celebrated his victory over the Argentine.
Ben Shelton to someone in the crowd who was heckling him during the match.
Love this energy. 🤫 pic.twitter.com/dkgcWa4g0z
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 11, 2024
Shelton later posted an Instagram story sharing his winning celebrations where he wrote, “Volume up… the heckling was insane in this match. That’s why I reacted after match pt…. but we got thru it.”
Great Match. Massive Respect.@BenShelton defeats Cerundolo in a 3rd set tiebreak to reach R4 in #TennisParadise! pic.twitter.com/LxA1l87Tit
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 11, 2024
The 21-year-old had already recorded his best performance at Indian Wells by reaching the third round. Now, Shelton is one of the three Americans who has entered the fourth round of the event this year. He has dropped a set each in his first two matches. Shelton has spent four hours and 43 minutes on the court so far at Indian Wells this season.
Ben Shelton faces potential exit in Indian Wells
One of the fourth-round encounters at Indian Wells will feature Shelton and Jannik Sinner. The pair will be playing their third match on the tour. Sinner had lost the match in their first meeting in Shanghai in 2023. A couple of weeks later, the Italian avenged his defeat at Vienna. Shelton will be hoping to hand Sinner his first defeat of the season.
The world No.16 has hit 43 winners and 14 aces so far at Indian Wells this year. Shelton’s serve has been reaching speeds of 146 mph, while his second serve average stands at 112 mph. Sinner, on the other hand, has only hit six unforced errors in his first two matches and committed just one unforced error in his opening match. He has lost two out of 16 points while coming to the net.
Dial in for this one 📞#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/pMSvaRsfuj
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 11, 2024
The 22-year-old will keep an eye on Shelton’s serve as he needs to break serve during the match. Sinner is the favorite to win the match, but his win will not come easy. Shelton will seek to end Sinner’s 17-match winning streak and continue to use volleys to endpoints quickly. The forehand missiles will be the common factor, and they will be seen once both players arrive on the court.