The opening round of a Grand Slam is never easy, and for Ben Shelton, the pressure was amplified. As the No. 8 seed in Melbourne, with expectations of a deep run, the American was handed a difficult first test against Ugo Humbert. Not only was he a player who narrowly missed seeding by just one ranking spot, but also a fellow lefty! Still, it all went Shelton’s way. How did he do it?

On Tuesday, taking on the World No.33, another lefty, Shelton was forced to cover every inch of the court. But as last year’s semifinalist, he knew exactly how to handle the heat, cracking 15 aces and winning 78 per cent (56/72) of his first-serve points during a hard-fought two-hour, 37-minute win, 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-6(5). When asked about the challenge of facing a nearly seeded player, Shelton kept it real:

“Yeah, I thought I stayed really calm today,” He said in his post-match interview, “Obviously, I knew coming in, on a court like this or anywhere, playing Ugo in the first round is a tough draw. But for me, it was just focusing on the things that I’ve been doing, focusing on the areas that I’ve been trying to improve, and just trying to get better as the match went on.”

“I felt like I found some of my better tennis later in the match, and that’s all you can hope for. So, I’m looking forward to trying to continue this form and make it better and better throughout the tournament.”

Currently, Ben Shelton holds a win-loss record of 12–3 at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old is gearing up to face either Gael Monfils or local qualifier Dane Sweeny in round two.

This win matters more than most. Ben’s 2025 ended on a sour note after a left shoulder injury at the US Open cut short his run. That retirement in New York hit hard and left fans uneasy. Would his serve hold up as 2026 rolled in?

On Tuesday, those nerves eased. Shelton looked loose, lively, and fully in control. His serve had that snap and rhythm again, the kind that says he’s back in business. The spark that lit up Melbourne last year was unmistakable, but since his injury, he’s slowly working on regaining his form.

Ben Shelton speaks on his form ahead of the Australian Open

The American kicked off his 2026 season with his fourth trip to the ATP 250 tournament, ready to shake off the off-season and hit the ground running. Before the action began, he spoke at his pre-tournament press conference, giving a quick health update and a peek into what he’s been working on lately.

“Yeah, I think fitness is a big one,” Ben Shelton said. “You’ve got to come down to Australia fit, New Zealand and Australia, because obviously it’s summer time here and we are coming from winter time and indoor tennis so that’s really important.”

It’s clear Shelton knows what it takes to handle the southern summer grind. He also shared how he’s been reshaping his game, fine-tuning his consistency, and aiming to elevate his best weapons even more.

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“And then just becoming a more complete player, trying to have less holes or weaknesses in my game and make sure that my strengths continue to be strengths and become even bigger strengths. So, from a broad perspective that’s kind of what I was doing.”

At the ASB Classic, Ben Shelton’s run ended in the quarterfinals against Sebastian Baez, but signs of progress were there. The improvement may be gradual, but it’s steady, and the spark in his game is unmistakable as he heads toward Melbourne once again.

The last time he walked onto Rod Laver Arena, Jannik Sinner handed him a tough loss. Now, with Sinner back as the two-time defending champion and both landing in the same half of the draw, a potential revenge match could light up the quarterfinals.

For now, Shelton’s keeping his head down and eyes forward. Can he get past Round 2 and make another deep run this year? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!