Shelton warns Sinner before the quarterfinals: "My game is very different from a year ago"

Carlos Navarro | 26 Jan 2026 | 15.57

Shelton described the keys he has faith in ahead of his showdown against Sinner. Source: Getty

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Ben Shelton continues to demonstrate to both fans and outsiders that he belongs to the elite of this sport. He may not be the most consistent player, but his mentality and courage elevate his tennis in important tournaments, racking up Grand Slam quarterfinals in abundance despite his short career on the circuit. It will be his third time reaching this round in Australia and his fifth time globally, a fantastic statistic that he does not want to stop.

He will have a tough task defending last year's semifinals: on the horizon appears a certain Jannik Sinner, the player who has defeated him in their last seven direct encounters, the man with the mission to claim his third consecutive Australian Open title. Nevertheless, to face this challenge, the American's confidence is sky-high: he has only dropped one set against Ruud, his forehand and serve are working better than ever, and he seems to approach each match with a tactical maturity he lacked in previous years. Are these ingredients enough to hint at a potential big surprise in the tournament? Only time will tell, but one thing Ben is sure of is his belief in his abilities, a sentiment he expressed in his latest press conference.

Shelton's Confidence to Face Sinner in Australia, Explaining Why He Is a Much Better Player Than Last Year

- He Only Lost One Point at the Net Against a Great Baseline Player like Ruud, Showing His Improvement in That Aspect

"I think today I made a lot of plays. I made volleys that I would have missed a while back, but I feel very confident about my net game right now. I am making great decisions, so I don't have to rush and overhit the ball. I am moving up to mid-court at the right serves, choosing the right shots, picking the right moments, and that's why I win a lot of points. I can approach the net and take advantage of the moment when my opponent is far from the baseline, using drop shots when needed. I believe my decision-making today was very clean, very accurate."

- His Father, the Biggest Fan of a Good Day at the Net

"Oh, he loves it. I think he would prefer me to volley well and lose the match rather than... (smiles) It's a part of my game in which he has had a huge influence. He was a great serve and volley player, and over the years, he has helped me feel more comfortable at the net and, overall, be better there. It's evident that we are in a different era of this sport, where players are so good from the baseline and make such impressive returns that it forces you to be creative in choosing when to serve and volley. There are many guys who are very good in certain areas of the game for me to be able to take points. I am very strategic about what serves I can use to come up to serve and volley."

- How to Convince Himself That This Match Against Jannik Sinner Will Be Different from Last Year's Here or at Wimbledon, Where He Suffered Defeats Quite Easily?

"My game is very different. Firstly, the way I am executing my plays at the net will give me a great advantage. The way I am varying the pace from the baseline is very different from a year ago. Today, I struggled a lot to find my rhythm; it was the first time I played at night here, and the conditions are completely different. However, I managed to secure a very tough victory in four sets, and I feel like I have never hit the ball with my forehand as well as in this tournament. I feel like I have great ball control and, at the same time, I am hitting it harder than ever.

I also believe that my return game has improved significantly. A year ago, I was not comfortable returning on the forehand side, I was unable to put many returns into play, I had to use the slice a lot to get the ball in. Now I am getting to a point where I feel I am in 'wall mode', unable to miss a return. That is an aspect that helps me a lot because you have to display offensive tennis to beat the best. All these things together make my tennis somewhat different from a year ago. However, everyone is working and evolving constantly, not just me."

- Adapting His Tennis to Night Conditions, Entirely Different from Playing During the Day

"Honestly, the first batch of balls we started the match with today was huge. Incredibly big. Very fluffy, something I hadn't felt since we arrived here. The conditions felt truly fast to me, even the Center Court feels faster than in previous years, but it seemed like the ball had already been used before. After his first serving turn, I was about to serve, looking at the balls and thinking: 'Wow'."

My serve was out of control. The feeling I had of the ball when it left the racket was completely different. I felt that way until the first ball change: from there on, everything seemed more normal, the balls were not as huge. I don't know if it was an isolated batch, but yes, the conditions when playing at night are different. I am very happy to have an adaptation match, to have found my rhythm. I don't feel like I played that well today in terms of my ball striking, but tactically, I played a pretty polished match when needed."

- Which Conditions He Prefers for His Quarterfinal Duel Against Sinner

"Both have their advantages. Right now, as I speak to you, it's 1 a.m. In the past, I have always felt more comfortable here when we play during the day. The conditions are much livelier. I get a lot of action with my serve and all my shots. Honestly, I am open to everything. I am in a very good mental state. They switched me to another court, and I accepted it without any issue, looking for ways to do my job. My mindset will be the same on Wednesday; I am content with any choice."

- Discussing the Great Tournament of His Compatriots Learner Tien and Iva Jovic

"It's exciting to see Learner and Iva. Iva trains in Orlando, in the same place where I am. Learner does not, but seeing the progress in their tennis... God, and I thought he was a small kid. He's not so small anymore, and he's playing insane tennis. It's thrilling, without a doubt. Being left-handed, furthermore, makes him very enjoyable to watch. Tactically, he plays exquisite tennis and is a great athlete who only keeps getting better. The pairing of Learner Tien and Michael Zheng is very dangerous; I'm looking forward to seeing where they both are at the end of the season."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton avisa a Sinner antes de los cuartos: "Mi juego es muy diferente al de hace un año"