Jannik Sinner Beats Beats Ben Shelton To Punch His Ticket To Australian Open Semifinals
If Ben Shelton ever wakes up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, it’s probably because he just dreamt he saw Jannik Sinner standing on the other side of a tennis net.
We are officially at the point where writing about Sinner at the Australian Open feels less like sports journalism and more like documenting a force of nature. On Wednesday, the two-time defending champion didn’t just beat Shelton; he systematically dismantled the American’s hope, piece by piece, in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory that felt even more lopsided than the score suggests.
The win extends Sinner’s streak at Melbourne Park to 19 matches. That is the kind of dominance that usually requires a surname like “Djokovic” or “Federer.” And speaking of the Serbian legend, guess who is waiting in the wings for the semifinals? But before we get to the blockbuster clash that everyone actually wants to see, we have to talk about how Sinner turned a dangerous quarterfinal into a glorified practice session.
The Sinner Return Game: Where 150 MPH Serves Go to Die
Shelton has a cannon for a left arm. We know this. He was launching 144 mph missiles early in the first set, the kind of serves that usually earn free points and easy holds. Against almost anyone else on tour, Shelton holds serve 95% of the time just by rolling out of bed. Against Sinner? It didn’t matter.
There is something demoralizing about how he handles pace. He doesn’t just block it back; he absorbs it, metabolizes it, and sends it back with interest. You could see the frustration mounting in Shelton’s body language. He’s staring at his box, wondering what exactly he has to do to get a ball past the Italian.
Sinner committed only four unforced errors in the first set while hitting 18 winners. That is video game stuff. Shelton, to his credit, tried to mix things up, but when your biggest weapon is neutralized, the court starts to feel awfully small. Sinner now holds a 9-1 career record against the American.
A Touch Of Magic from the Defending Champ
It wasn’t just robot-like efficiency, though. We got some flair. In the second set, Sinner pulled a page out of the Carlos Alcaraz playbook. Chasing down a ball that angled sharply off the court, Sinner didn’t go over the net—he went around it. He slid into a forehand and whipped it around the net post for a winner that had the Rod Laver Arena crowd on its feet.
It was the moment the match was effectively over. It was a statement. It is easy to forget that just a round ago, Sinner looked human. He was cramping, staggering, and looked ready to fold in the third round until the roof closed and saved him.
He admitted as much, saying he was “lucky” to still be in the tournament. But that vulnerability seems like a distant memory now. Against Shelton, he looked physically imperious, even if he seemed to be managing his energy levels toward the end of the second set.
The Final Boss Awaits: Sinner vs. Djokovic
Now, the fun begins. With all due respect to the rest of the field, this is the match the tennis world has been circling in red ink since the draw came out. Sinner vs. Djokovic. The young king against the old guard.
Djokovic had a much easier path to the semis, benefiting from Lorenzo Musetti’s heartbreaking retirement while leading two sets to love. Djokovic got to rest his legs; Sinner had to grind through Shelton’s serve. But if recent history tells us anything, Sinner isn’t scared of the moment.
The Italian has won three of their last four meetings at the majors. He owns a 6-4 career lead over the 24-time Slam champion. He beat him here in the semis in 2024. He beat him at Roland Garros. He beat him at Wimbledon. Sinner has solved the riddle that is Djokovic in a way very few players ever have.
“We are lucky to still have Novak here playing incredible tennis at his age,” Sinner said. “Hopefully it’s going to be a great battle.”
It’s nice of him to be polite. But once they step on that court, the politeness ends. Djokovic is chasing history, trying to prove he’s not done yet. Sinner is chasing a three-peat, trying to prove that this is officially his era.
