We all remember the uproar during the 1st-round showdown between Taylor Fritz and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, which ended in chaos after officials halted play at 10:15 pm because of Wimbledon’s strict curfew. Fast forward to the second round yesterday, and now Ben Shelton finds himself in a similar storm. On Thursday night, Shelton was just one game away from sealing victory over Rinky Hijikata when darkness descended and play was abruptly suspended. The tenth seed left the court with unfinished business under the London twilight. But what’s next for this gripping clash? The rescheduled match time is finally out: let’s dive into the details!

Yesterday, Ben Shelton was just one game away from booking his place in the third round of Wimbledon when Thursday night’s drama struck. Under the fading London sky, the American lefty stood poised to serve for the match at 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 against Aussie Rinky Hijikata. Three match points came and went on Hijikata’s serve, but none were converted. Then came the chaos. At 9:29 pm, with the light fading fast over Court 2, play was suddenly suspended, leaving Shelton visibly frustrated after officials had earlier told both players to keep going.

What made it worse? Shelton and Hijikata had already brought up concerns about the dwindling light, first at the beginning of the 3rd set and again midway through. Yet, they were told to push forward. Then, with barely a moment’s notice, the play was halted. 

“Due to poor light, it was not possible to continue and not an option to move to another court,” a Wimbledon spokesperson later stated. Still, many questioned why, as Centre Court and No. 1 Court, with their retractable roofs and lighting, sat unused, already closed down for the night.

Shelton will now resume his unfinished business on No. 2 Court, not before 12:30 pm local time on Friday. Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will kick off the day’s action at 11 am on the same court. The 10th seed, currently the highest-ranked player left in his section of the draw, will look to wrap up what should have already been his victory.

This isn’t the 1st time such confusion has marred a match at SW19. Just last year, Leylah Fernandez and Caroline Wozniacki found themselves deadlocked at 3-3 in the 3rd set when their match was stopped due to poor light. Unlike Shelton, they were moved under the roof on No. 1 Court an hour later, where Wozniacki eventually sealed the win. Clearly, not all players get the same second chance under the lights.

But did Shelton say anything about the late-night madness? Oh, he did. And he didn’t hold back!

Ben Shelton blasts Wimbledon drama amid rising US tensions

Ben Shelton has brought nothing short of firepower to his Wimbledon campaign so far. The American ace hasn’t dropped a serve, saved all 3 break points he’s faced, and clinched an impressive 70% of his second-serve points. He’s already broken the Aussie, Rinky Hijikata, four times from 12 chances. One more win, and it’ll not only push Shelton into the third round for the second consecutive year but also give him a 2-0 H2H edge over the Aussie.

But the real fireworks? They came off-court. Just hours ago, Shelton shook IG with a raw, emotional photo carousel. His caption landed like a thunderclap: “They ain’t wanna see anything else from me tonight, but I’ll see y’all tomorrow.” The images told a story, Shelton saluting the crowd, collapsing into the stands near girlfriend Trinity Rodman, and fiercely pleading with the chair umpire. Each frame captured the chaos, grit, and defiance of a man not backing down.

ESPN jumped into the fray as well, sharing a clip of the controversial moment. The commentators couldn’t hide their frustration as Shelton exited the court, the crowd roaring behind him, pride and fire pouring from every corner of the stands.

Last year, Shelton powered into the 4th round, marking his strongest Wimbledon run. Now, ranked 10th in the world, with momentum in his racket and Trinity in his corner, he’s gunning for more.

But with unfinished business looming and drama still swirling, the big question remains: Can Shelton close it out today, or is another Wimbledon twist waiting just around the net?

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