Ben Shelton will be getting night-session treatment in Rod Laver Arena for a second consecutive match when he goes up against Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Here is my pick.
(8) Ben Shelton vs. (2) Jannik Sinner
Sinner is dominating the head-to-head series 8-1, but Shelton’s big-hitting game makes him dangerous on any given day. Shelton was exactly that in their first-ever meeting, when the American prevailed 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) at the 2023 Shanghai Masters. Since then, however, it has been all Sinner. The Italian’s eight-match winning streak includes 17 consecutive sets on the trot, although Shelton at least managed to force ‘breakers in seven of those 17 sets. They most recently collided a couple of months ago at the Nitto ATP Finals, where Sinner got the job done 6-3, 7-6(3).
This also marks a rematch of the 2025 AO semis, in which Sinner rolled 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-2.
Shelton, however, looks like an even more complete player 12 months later. The world No. 7 has been an especially consistent force at slams. In 2025, Shelton’s only non-retirement loss prior to a quarterfinal came against Carlos Alcaraz in round four at Roland Garros. Shelton finds himself back in the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park following convincing victories over Ugo Humbert, Dane Sweeny, Valentin Vacherot, and Casper Ruud. Shelton is now 15-3 lifetime at this tournament.
Sinner came perilously close to exiting this event on Saturday, when he was at one set all against Eliot Spizzirri, down a break in the third, and cramping in both his hands and legs. That’s when the heat-index rule came into effect, however, and the roof over Rod Laver Arena was closed. Sinner was an entirely different player the rest of the way and got the job done against Spizzirri 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
The two-time defending champ has also advanced with straight-set victories over Hugo Gaston, James Duckworth, and Luciano Darderi. Sinner is on an 18-match winning streak in Melbourne and is 35-3 in his last 38 sets dating back to the 2024 final against Daniil Medvedev.
A tiebreaker or even two should be expected, but Sinner will almost certainly advance.
Pick: Shelton in 4
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on Twitter at @Dimonator.