Ben Shelton began his U.S. Open campaign with a shaky first set but rallied to secure a victory against Tallon Griekspoor, advancing to the second round.
Shelton, the No. 8 seed, lost the opening set 1-6 before finding his rhythm on Arthur Ashe Stadium. He went on to win the subsequent sets 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 to advance in the tournament.
"Started off a little bit nervous tonight but found my rhythm at some point in the second set," Shelton said in his on-court interview. "Really happy to be out here on Ashe again. This is where I feel comfortable."
After committing 14 unforced errors in the first set, Shelton significantly reduced his errors in the second, committing only two. His game also saw an increase in power as the match progressed.
The momentum shifted in Shelton's favor during a closely contested third set, which was ultimately decided by a tiebreaker. Shelton secured the tiebreaker with a commanding lead, ultimately sealing the set with an ace.
As the highest-ranked American man in the singles draw, Shelton carries the hopes of ending a long drought for American men in Grand Slam singles. No American man has won a Grand Slam singles title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open.
Shelton has reached the third round of the U.S. Open in each of the last two years. He is set to face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in his next match. The draw has seen the withdrawal of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner due to injury and an early exit for Novak Djokovic, potentially clearing a path for American contenders. Additionally, No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz is competing in his first tournament after a significant break due to a wrist injury.