“I know I’m close. I know my level’s close. I know I have a lot of the stuff that I need. I certainly believe in myself,” came the heartfelt and determined voice of Ben Shelton, still carrying echoes of his AO semifinal loss just four months ago, a straight-sets defeat to the eventual champion. Now, at he finds himself in the fourth round of his second Slam of the year, the Roland Garros, a stage where American hopes often flicker. But even with a clash looming against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the fearless 22-year-old isn’t flinching, instead, he’s making a bold statement. 

Ben Shelton’s determined performance propelled him to the fourth round of Roland Garros, a milestone achievement in his career, his clothing bearing evidence of his exertion. With a clinical 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante, the 22-year-old American ace also delivered a highlight-reel moment with a point won from the ground.

Now, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz waiting in the next round, Shelton is embracing the challenge. Speaking at the press conference at Roland Garros, while Alcaraz was still playing, Shelton didn’t hold back his excitement. “First off, I’d be excited. You know, whoever wins that match, I’m looking forward to it, you know. Being in the in the second round of a slam it’s nothing that you take lightly and don’t want to disrespect anyone obviously when the match is still going on. But if it does happen to be Alcaraz you know playing the defending champion, round 16, I’m guessing, you know, center court. That’s a pretty cool opportunity. Pretty cool experience that not a lot of people get or see in their lifetime,” he said.

Shelton also shared he is finding his rhythm on clay and growing into a real threat. “And for me, I’m definitely going to enjoy it and go out there and see what I can do because I’m starting to gain some speed, gain a little bit of traction on the surface, and starting to see some of my best tennis. So I like to think of myself as dangerous whenever I get to that place, and yeah, really looking forward to it. But either way, either guy winning, I’m looking forward to the next round,” he added.

Their budding rivalry tells a compelling story: Carlos Alcaraz has defeated the American ace Ben Shelton in both of their previous encounters, each in straight sets. However, this upcoming clash at Roland Garros marks their 1st meeting on clay, a battleground where the Spaniard thrives.

In addition, Shelton holds an 8-4 record on clay this year and stands 18-15 overall on the surface, a sharp contrast to Alcaraz’s staggering 17-1 record this season and 99-19 career tally on dirt. The defending champion walks in with the odds stacked in his favor, doesn’t he?

Yet, while Shelton may be the underdog on paper, he’s shown no signs of backing down. With a fearless attitude and an electric presence on center court, he’s lighting up the American flag in Paris. But how?

Ben Shelton matches Pete Sampras with a dominant win against Matteo Gigante

The Italian Matteo Gigante had stunned the tennis world with his 2nd-round upset over former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. But lightning didn’t strike twice, did it? In their first meeting, Ben Shelton outclassed the qualifier with a tactical masterclass. Targeting Gigante’s backhand and luring him forward with drop shots and sharp net play, the 22-year-old American charged the forecourt 33 times, winning 20 points. While the ratio may not seem overwhelming, his unpredictable game disrupted Gigante’s rhythm, leading to 36 unforced errors from the Italian.

But, above all, Ben’s victory marked more than just another win at the Clay. By reaching the 4th round at Roland Garros, Shelton became the fourth-youngest American man to make the fourth round at all four GS. His most notable results include an SF at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 AO, as well as a 4th-round finish at Wimbledon 2024.

Shelton accomplished this feat at the remarkably young age of 22 years and 7 months; only three American men achieved this at a younger age: Pete Sampras (20 years, 10 months; Wimbledon 1992), Jim Courier (21 years, 9 days; US Open 1991), and Aaron Krickstein (21 years, 10 months; Wimbledon 1989).

Now, with momentum on his side, the American faces a daunting challenge: defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish maestro on clay! While the odds lean heavily in Alcaraz’s favor, Shelton’s rising form and fearless game raise the question: can he channel his Melbourne magic and storm deeper into the Parisian clay? What do you think?