What was arguably the marquee matchup on Friday’s order of play did not disappoint, as Ben Shelton beat fellow top prospect Jakub Mensik 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in round two of the BNP Paribas Open. Shelton smacked eight aces and bombed one serve at 150 mph while advancing after exactly two hours.
This marks the first time Shelton, 21, has picked up a main-tour win over a younger opponent (Mensik is 18).
“I had to dig deep tonight,” the 16th-ranked American commented. “He’s an offensive player–a guy with a big game. I just had to amp up my aggression a little bit. I felt like I let him take it to me a little bit in the first set. Once I got deep in the second set I started finding some winners with my forehand and playing a little bit more aggressive.”
Shelton is on a collision course for the last 16 with Jannik Sinner, who remained undefeated in 2024 (13-0) with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis. It was a typically flawless performance by Sinner, who prevailed in one hour and 21 minutes.
Joining Shelton and Sinner in the round of 32 later on Friday night was Carlos Alcaraz, who labored through one set but the kicked into a dominant gear to defeat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-1. With his back against the wall following a tough opener, Alcaraz found his best level and rolled to a comeback win in two hours and 14 minutes.
“I had to change just a few things,” the second-ranked Spaniard noted. “I made a few mistakes in the first set…. I had to put in more first serves in the second and third set, and I think that was a big key to improving my level a little bit, to be in the rallies–long rallies, as well, to get the rhythm. I’m really happy to get it at the end.”
Next up for Alcaraz at the Indian Wells Masters is Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Sinner awaits Jan-Lennard Struff and Shelton will face Francisco Cerundolo. Struff saved three match points in his 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-6(9) defeat of Borna Coric on Friday night.
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