“This was a tough one for sure,” a relieved Ben Shelton said after kicking off his French Open campaign on a winning note earlier this week. The 22-year-old American youngster showed tremendous skills in a late-night, five-set thriller against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. Despite winning the first set, losing the subsequent two sets had something of a debilitating effect. He rallied, winning the final two sets!

“To get a win in the fashion that I did in five sets late at night is a dream come true. I’m really looking forward to the second round after this one. It was my first time playing a five setter on clay and my body felt it a bit for sure,” Shelton said.

But guess what? He’s going to face another Italian challenge in the third round encounter on Friday. Shelton will step on the Parisian clay against Matteo Gigante. The latter’s coming off his stunning victory over Greek pro Stefanos Tsitsipas. So, who’s going to shine in the upcoming face-off? Let’s try to find out!

Ben Shelton v Matteo Gigante: Preview

Ben Shelton started his 2025 season on a strong note at the Australian Open back in January. He succeeded in reaching the last four before losing to eventual winner and World No.1 Jannik Sinner. He became the youngest American in 22 years to make it to the semis of the Happy Slam since Andy Roddick in 2003. Shelton kept his form intact and reached the QF at the Indian Wells before losing to eventual winner Jack Draper. But then came a phase where he had to go through back-to-back early round exits in Miami and the Monte Carlo Masters.

However, the 22-year-0ld didn’t take long to bounce back. Playing at the BMW Open, he managed to enter the summit clash. Unfortunately, he couldn’t lift the trophy after failing to outperform German pro Alexander Zverev. In the next event, at the Madrid Open, he failed to leave an impact. Czechia’s Jakub Mensik ousted him in R32 in straight sets. The same was the case in Rome, too, where he couldn’t even clear the first round against Spain’s Jaume Munar.

However, Shelton appears to have found his rhythm at the French Open. He began his campaign with a hard-earned win over Sonego. The American won the first set, but the Italian took the next two. Shelton then fought back brilliantly and snatched the remaining two sets with a final score line of 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Ahead of his second-round match against Hugo Gaston, the latter opted to withdraw his name. The reason cited was abdominal pain. Simply put, Shelton got a direct ticket to round three at the Roland Garros.

Speaking of his opponent, Italy’s Matteo Gigante’s 2025 season has been mediocre at best. Back in January, he played at the Australian Open and failed to shine, with a first-round exit. In Indian Wells, too, the outcome remained sort of unchanged. Taylor Fritz edged him out in straights set in R64. At the Oeiras Open 4, Gigante couldn’t go past R32, followed by an early R64 exit at the Italian Open.

Gigante hasn’t played a lot of ATP events this year. He’s competed mostly in Challenger tournaments. Speaking of which, he succeeded in snatching one title at the Challenger Rome. In the summit clash, the Italian beat Lithuanian player Vilius Guabas with a score line of 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. When it comes to his French Open journey, he began his campaign with a straight-set victory over Germany’s Benjamin Hassan. In the second round, he then pulled off an upset by eliminating Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4).

Shelton v Gigante: Head-to-Head

Both players have never met in a professional event so far. Currently, the H2H tally stands at 0-0. Friday’s match will mark their first encounter.

Prediction: Ben Shelton to win in straight sets

When it comes to the singles stats this season, Ben Shelton is ahead of Matteo Gigante. With a win percentage of 62.96, the American has clinched 17 of his 27 matches, compared to the Italian (4-4). Gigante’s win-loss figure doesn’t include results from his qualifying or Challenger matches.

Now, coming onto their event history, Shelton’s record at the French Open is not really impressive. He’s played here twice in the past (2023 and 2024) and failed to move beyond R128 and R32. However, this time he’s got the chance to make a deep run. On the other hand, Gigante is playing his maiden campaign at the Roland Garros this year.

But what about their playing styles? Well, Shelton’s known for his lethal, speedy serves. Combine that with his powerful groundstrokes. He also likes to approach the net in order to build extra pressure on his rivals. His forehand and backhand strokes are also dependable in earning him crucial points. Speaking of Gigante, he’s got a solid baseline gameplay. Not to mention his effective left-handed style, combined with the two-handed backhand, which makes him unpredictable. Especially on the clay, his favorite surface.

Considering the overall form this season, Ben Shelton looks to be the favorite to win this battle. The World No.13 is expected to clinch the first three sets against Gigante on Friday and enter the fourth round at the French Open.