Ben Shelton advanced to the second round of the US Open after defeating Tallon Griekspoor in four sets. Shelton, who dropped the first set, recovered to secure his place in the next round where he is scheduled to face Hubert Hurkacz.
Shelton is currently favored at -245 in the odds to win against Hurkacz. The path to later rounds in the tournament may open up for Shelton, especially with other top players like Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic out of contention. Shelton is in the midst of a strong season, having recently defended his title at the Canadian Masters.
However, his progression through the tournament is expected to be challenging. After overcoming Griekspoor, Shelton will now face Hurkacz, a player with a similar skill set. Hurkacz, once considered a potential Grand Slam contender, experienced a setback in his career due to injuries and inconsistency over the past two years, leading him to compete in Challenger events. His recent performance includes winning a title at the Cancun Challenger in August and reaching the Round of 16 at Wimbledon, where he defeated players like Casper Ruud and Tommy Paul.
The matchup is anticipated to be close, with both players relying heavily on their serves to gain an advantage. This stylistic similarity suggests that sets could be decided by narrow margins, potentially offering an opportunity for the underdog, Hurkacz, to challenge Shelton. Betting markets indicate Hurkacz as a (+198) underdog on the moneyline for this match.
