Shelton, devastated after falling at Wimbledon: "C'est la défaite la plus dure de toute ma carrière"

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Ben Shelton said goodbye to Wimbledon 2026 much earlier than expected. The American, one of the top contenders to achieve something great on grass, fell in five sets to Otto Virtanen in a match where he always felt like he was trailing behind the extraordinary level displayed by the Finnish player.

Very affected by the defeat, Ben Shelton acknowledged it as one of the most painful eliminations of his entire career. The American analyzed why he never managed to impose his tennis, reflected on a season marked by inconsistency, and explained why, despite the setback in London, he is still convinced that the best of the year is yet to come.

Ben Shelton analyzes his elimination at Wimbledon and laments a season full of ups and downs

Shelton praises Otto Virtanen's level after one of the toughest losses of his career

The American didn't make excuses after the defeat and wanted to start his appearance by acknowledging the tremendous match played by his opponent.

"It's been a very tough defeat. Undoubtedly, one of the hardest in my entire career. I have to give a lot of credit to Otto because he played an exceptional match. I feel like throughout the whole match, I was playing catch-up. I wasn't accurate with my serve, which prevented me from gaining many easy points. I had to work very hard in almost every game, and he was hitting the ball incredibly well from the baseline.

In the second set, I got a break very early and was able to maintain the advantage. In the fifth, I had three times 15-40 to break his serve, and in all those moments, he played extraordinary points. Sometimes, tennis works like that."

The American explains why he had to completely change his playing style

Shelton confessed that Virtanen's offensive level forced him to take many more risks than usual, especially in the decisive moments of the match.

"The way he was hitting the ball made me take different decisions. He was playing very aggressively and hardly making any mistakes. At the end of the match, every time I left a ball a bit short, he turned it into a winner, especially in the final game before the tie-break.

In the tie-break, I tried to come to the net as much as possible to take time away from him and avoid him dominating exchanges from the baseline. With the tennis he was playing, I had no other choice but to be much more aggressive."

Ben Shelton admits that 2026 has been a very inconsistent year

Although he recalled winning three titles this season, Shelton acknowledged that his performance in major stages has fallen short of his expectations.

"I'm not quite sure how to define this year. I've had good results at times, like reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the three titles I've won, two of them being ATP 500. But everything else has been quite poor. It hasn't been a good year for me. It's been a tough season.

I've lost many very close matches, many tie-breaks, and many third sets. I think sometimes these things happen, but this year it has happened much more than I would've liked.

Margins are very slim. After the clay-court swing, I often think about what would've happened if I had won that tie-break in the first round of Madrid after winning Munich. There are many moments that come to mind, and you wonder what would have changed."

The American is already looking forward to the U.S. hardcourt swing

Despite the disappointment suffered in London, Shelton stated that he doesn't intend to dwell on the defeat for too long. "I'm usually a person who goes back to training or to the gym the next day. I'm going to face this defeat just like any other. In a couple of days, I'll be back to work.

Obviously, this elimination came much earlier than expected, but now my mind is already focused on the U.S. hardcourt swing. I still believe that the best of my season is yet to come."

Shelton downplays the draw and recalls how unpredictable Wimbledon can be

Asked about the opportunity that seemed to open up in his section of the draw, Shelton claimed he never looks beyond the next opponent and used his own defeat as an example of how challenging it is to compete on grass. "I never look beyond the first round. Obviously, I know who's in the tournament; I'm not an idiot, but I'm not focused on the draw or social media. I just try to concentrate on the opponent in front of me. This match precisely illustrates why. At Wimbledon, anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

Margins are even smaller on grass. If you're up against someone who can serve over 220 kilometers per hour when they want and is also hitting the ball like Otto did from the baseline, every detail ends up making the difference. I felt like I had positioned myself in a very good place to win the match, but he was brilliant at the crucial moments."

The first-round exit is a tough blow for Ben Shelton, who arrived at Wimbledon confident of achieving a great result on a surface that suits his style of play. However, the American chose to stick to one clear idea: acknowledging Otto Virtanen's exceptional level, accepting a defeat that he considers one of the most painful of his career, and promptly beginning preparations for the North American swing, where he hopes to rediscover his best form.

Cette actualité est une traduction automatique. Vous pouvez lire la nouvelle originale Shelton, devastado tras caer en Wimbledon: "Es la derrota más dura de toda mi carrera"