No sets dropped: Ben Shelton dismantles local qualifier to reach Australian Open third round

Ben Shelton emerged victorious from his second-round clash against local qualifier Dane Sweeny with a commanding 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win, booking his place in the third round in Melbourne. The Australian had come through qualifying and caused an upset in the first round by eliminating veteran Frenchman Gaël Monfils, but he was unable to keep pace with the American star.

Shelton continues to look solid, having yet to drop a set, and for the fourth consecutive time he has reached the third round of the Australian Open. The American has now made at least the third round in 10 of his last Grand Slam appearances (11 of 14 overall in his career). He will look to reach the second week against 2025 Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot.

For Shelton, this is a week with added pressure, as he is defending the ranking points earned from reaching the semifinals in 2025. So far, he has at least managed to cushion the number of points lost in the live rankings, where he currently sits as world No. 9.

From the outset, Shelton (No. 7) showed maturity in dealing with the pressure of being the favourite. He was facing an opponent ranked just No. 182, but one who arrived with confidence after four consecutive wins—three from qualifying—and with home support that could have made things more complicated than expected.

However, Shelton quickly took control of the match, capitalising on his first break opportunities to move ahead in the fourth game. With a single break advantage, that was enough for the 23-year-old to hold comfortably through the remainder of the set and take the lead 6-3.

The second set was one to remember, with Shelton playing at an almost flawless level—especially on serve, where he proved unplayable for Sweeny. Shelton struck nine aces and won 100% of points on serve in a set that lasted just 26 minutes.

The American converted two breaks from three opportunities and finished the set with 15 winners to just two from his opponent. Shelton committed only one unforced error compared to six from Sweeny, closing the set 6-2 and moving two sets ahead in under an hour of play.

Things did not change dramatically in the third set, although at times Sweeny offered a more competitive showing. The Australian found some success on serve, making adjustments and avoiding long rallies as Shelton began to commit more errors and left a few balls in the net.

The score reached 2-2, but Sweeny was unable to sustain the parity. In the fifth game, he conceded four break points, and Shelton eventually took the lead. From there, the American did not ease off, closing the match by winning five games in a row, including two consecutive breaks, to seal the victory 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

World No. 7 Shelton posted impressive numbers: 19 aces, winning 88% of points on first serve and 71% on second, along with 38 winners and 17 unforced errors. In the third round, he will face 30th seed Valentin Vacherot, the surprise champion of last year’s Shanghai Masters.