Ben Shelton moves into Australian Open Quarterfinals
Ben Shelton continued his run in Melbourne with a four-set win over Casper Ruud, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. It is the third time Shelton is making the Australian Open quarterfinals.
With the win, Shelton improves his 2026 season record to 5–1 and reaches the fifth Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career.
After the match, Shelton shared a light moment during his on-court interview with Jim Courier, who joked about creating his own “swagger rankings.”
“I’m developing my own rankings for who has the most swagger,” Courier said. “You’re not No. 1. Novak’s No. 1. He’s kind of the GOAT. I’ve got you with Musetti. You might be two or three. Who am I missing?”
Shelton replied:
“I think Carlos Alcaraz got a little bit of swag. You might’ve missed that one. Tommy Paul’s got the quiet swag. From what I’m seeing from Learner Tien, he might be moving up that list real quick. I’ve gotta put one girl in there. Coco Gauff. She’s got swag.”
Shelton also thanked the crowd for staying late.
“I know you guys were probably looking forward to watching Novak tonight. I actually heard it from the stands,” he said. “But I hope we didn’t disappoint with that match. I really appreciate you staying late.”
Next, Shelton will face Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals. He said the challenge is exactly what he wants.
“It’s what you look forward to the most in this sport,” Shelton said. “I wanted to be back here and give myself another shot. I have a lot more I want to do here, and a lot more to prove.”
