Ben Shelton beats Rinky Hijikata in 69 seconds at Wimbledon after final game was delayed overnight
Two-time grand slam semifinalist Shelton needed all of about a minute and exactly four points — three of which were aces — to wrap up a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Hijikata after their match was suspended the night before because of darkness at 5-4 in the third set.
"Very different playing over two days and coming out for whatever that was — 55 seconds? — today," the 10th-seeded Shelton said.
"I was hoping to maybe hit a few groundstrokes today. I might have to go to the practice courts."
The American, who reached the final four at the 2023 US Open and this year's Australian Open, was about to try to serve out the match on Thursday at 9:30pm local time when action was halted on court two, which does not have a roof or artificial lights.
They came back out to the same stadium a little less than 16 hours later and, after a warm-up period that was quite a bit longer than the actual play on Friday, Shelton began with a 227 kph ace.
The 22-year-old left-hander then hit a second serve that resulted in a framed return by Hijikata, followed by an ace at 225 kph and one more at 190 kph to end things quickly.
"You come out here, serving for the match, the nerves are there a little bit. To hit three aces and take the pressure off of myself, I couldn't have been happier with what I came out here and did," said Shelton, who will face 105th-ranked Márton Fucsovics of Hungary for a chance to reach the fourth round at the All England Club for the second consecutive year.
Gold-medal-winning footballer and Shelton's girlfriend Trinity Rodman joked on social media: "Nothing like a 2-minute-long match. Congrats Benny."
Shelton told the crowd: "I'm sorry that you guys didn't really get to see much tennis."
Right before things were halted Thursday, Shelton held three match points while leading 5-3 and at 0-40 on Hijikata's serve, but the 87th-ranked Hijikata grabbed the next five points to extend the contest into what turned out to be a second day.
"It was difficult. At that point we kind of knew we were playing in conditions that weren't ideal for tennis so for me it was like 'what's one more game?'," Shelton told ESPN.
"I understand the tournament's got to make whatever decisions they make and players have got to live with it. For me, I lived with it, I came out today and did what I do."
Shelton said he had had matches split over two days on three or four previous occasions at Wimbledon, which does not prize night-time sessions like the Australian and US Opens do.
"This seems to be the tournament I usually split over two days," he said.
"Whether it's rain or it gets dark out here, it's one of those tournaments that you've got to be able to adjust on the fly, get used to stopping, starting, re-warming up. It's part of what makes tennis fun."
Shelton faced only three break points against Hijikata, saving all of them.
"A great match," he said. "A clean match."
AP/ABC
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
30 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Winter warrior Jimmy The Bear delivers again in Winter Championship Final at Flemington
Jimmy The Bear capped a near faultless campaign with victory in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington. The Patrick and Michelle Payne -trained winter warrior defied a wide barrier and big weight to win the feature in a blanket finish from Munhamek and Forgot You. Reigning Winter Championship winner Munhamek motored into contention late as a $41 outsider. Favourite Oh Too Good travelled outside the leader Magnaspin and looked a winner in the straight but ultimately felt the early race pressure. Jimmy The Bear has won three of his past five starts and been runner-up twice in brilliant campaign. 'Patrick focuses on this time of year and he's just an old marvel,' Michelle Payne said. 'Big thanks to Mike Hirst (owner breeder Jimmy The Bear and former Racing Victoria chairman) and his support of our stable and family for many, many years. 'He's (Jimmy The Bear) is just an old marvel, his win last start put the writing on the wall … brilliant again today. '(Jockey) Billy (Egan) did the best from the barrier, caught a bit wide but a nice resting run from where he was. 'He was looking a good chance all the way down the straight but he had to fight for it, as Jimmy does, he doesn't know how to run a bad race and he fought it out well.' JIMMY THE BEAR ðŸ�»ðŸ'° The Winter Championship Final goes to Patrick and Michelle Payne's warhorse! Forgot You was a mighty run for third at $61 for Team Busuttin/Young in honour of Peta Tait ðŸ'– @TheBeeegan @mj_payne â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) July 5, 2025 Jimmy The Bear completed a double for the Payne partnership. 'I'm sure Patrick is sitting at home with his arms crossed, very, very happy,' Payne said. Egan reunited with Jimmy The Bear on Saturday for the first time this campaign and got the result. Rising star apprentice jockey Tom Prebble had partnered the horse the past four starts but could not finish the job on Saturday due to an untimely suspension. Egan paid tribute to Prebble after the race. 'Tom Prebble is here on-course, shows he's in the game for all the right reasons,' Egan said. 'He's a good kid, this is one of his favourite horses, so good to see him here. 'I admire Tom in a lot of ways, I wish I could've done what he did when I was his age and had his discipline and his good attitude.' Egan enjoyed the win on Jimmy The Bear. 'It's a bit like riding a Group (1) winner then, because how much every in the stable loves this horse.' Egan summed up the situation perfectly on Jimmy The Bear, wide and midfield with a bit of cover. In doing so, Egan had Oh Too Good in his sights the whole way. 'I was three wide but still probably one off with two inside me there, trying to save as much ground as I could,' Egan said. 'With his big weight, Patrick made a good point, we don't want to be giving (Oh Too Good) too big of a head start, he really wore them down … it was a very tough win.' Jockey Ben Allen, who rode Oh Too Good, lamented the eventual race shape. Allen had to use up Oh Too Good early to settle on speed and paid the price late. 'The way I had to ride her I don't think is ideal for her,' Allen said. 'She needs a bit of cover … a bit of a strong head on breeze and she's still learning, so was a bit keen. 'She just felt the pinch late, I still reckon she ran well but she needs circumstances to go her way.'
The Advertiser
34 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Pacific-Aust 'commonality' important in uncertain times
Anthony Albanese has hailed the importance of personal relationships with Pacific nations at a time when other powers are seeking to increase their influence. The prime minister, who will host Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka when the Wallabies take on Fiji in their one-off Rugby Union Test in Newcastle on Sunday, reiterated the importance of soft diplomacy in the region. "Relationships between nations essentially come down to relationships between people," he told ABC Radio on Saturday. "It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality. We are all members of the Pacific family." Australia has provided $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women's and men's teams in the Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions. Some $600 million over a decade for a PNG NRL team had also cemented the relationship between the two neighbouring nations, Mr Albanese said. He said investments in sports were linked with education and economic development, resulting in better health outcomes and stronger, more secure and smarter Pacific populations. At a time when the United States is pulling away and China and Russia are trying to increase their influence, the prime minister stressed the importance of positioning Australia as the partner of choice. "We have a considerable defence and security presence throughout the Pacific and that's very much, in these uncertain times, in Australia's interests," he said. "One of the ways that we cement that is through those personal relations." Mr Albanese was keen to highlight Australia's upgraded defence and security relationships with Fiji, PNG, Tuvalu, Nauru and other smaller nations in the Pacific. "We are family and we assist each other as friends, not with strings attached," he said. "What we do is we help each other out because of our common interests and our common values." Mr Rabuka met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra earlier this week. In a keynote address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, he spoke glowingly of bilateral ties between Suva and Canberra in a deteriorating world. "Unfortunately for now, I contest the region's outlook is more uncertain than at any time since Fiji's independence in 1970," he said. "Perhaps we have reached a point in our Fiji-Australia relationship where a renewed and elevated Vuvale partnership needs a further step-up to an agreement for a treaty." Anthony Albanese has hailed the importance of personal relationships with Pacific nations at a time when other powers are seeking to increase their influence. The prime minister, who will host Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka when the Wallabies take on Fiji in their one-off Rugby Union Test in Newcastle on Sunday, reiterated the importance of soft diplomacy in the region. "Relationships between nations essentially come down to relationships between people," he told ABC Radio on Saturday. "It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality. We are all members of the Pacific family." Australia has provided $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women's and men's teams in the Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions. Some $600 million over a decade for a PNG NRL team had also cemented the relationship between the two neighbouring nations, Mr Albanese said. He said investments in sports were linked with education and economic development, resulting in better health outcomes and stronger, more secure and smarter Pacific populations. At a time when the United States is pulling away and China and Russia are trying to increase their influence, the prime minister stressed the importance of positioning Australia as the partner of choice. "We have a considerable defence and security presence throughout the Pacific and that's very much, in these uncertain times, in Australia's interests," he said. "One of the ways that we cement that is through those personal relations." Mr Albanese was keen to highlight Australia's upgraded defence and security relationships with Fiji, PNG, Tuvalu, Nauru and other smaller nations in the Pacific. "We are family and we assist each other as friends, not with strings attached," he said. "What we do is we help each other out because of our common interests and our common values." Mr Rabuka met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra earlier this week. In a keynote address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, he spoke glowingly of bilateral ties between Suva and Canberra in a deteriorating world. "Unfortunately for now, I contest the region's outlook is more uncertain than at any time since Fiji's independence in 1970," he said. "Perhaps we have reached a point in our Fiji-Australia relationship where a renewed and elevated Vuvale partnership needs a further step-up to an agreement for a treaty." Anthony Albanese has hailed the importance of personal relationships with Pacific nations at a time when other powers are seeking to increase their influence. The prime minister, who will host Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka when the Wallabies take on Fiji in their one-off Rugby Union Test in Newcastle on Sunday, reiterated the importance of soft diplomacy in the region. "Relationships between nations essentially come down to relationships between people," he told ABC Radio on Saturday. "It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality. We are all members of the Pacific family." Australia has provided $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women's and men's teams in the Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions. Some $600 million over a decade for a PNG NRL team had also cemented the relationship between the two neighbouring nations, Mr Albanese said. He said investments in sports were linked with education and economic development, resulting in better health outcomes and stronger, more secure and smarter Pacific populations. At a time when the United States is pulling away and China and Russia are trying to increase their influence, the prime minister stressed the importance of positioning Australia as the partner of choice. "We have a considerable defence and security presence throughout the Pacific and that's very much, in these uncertain times, in Australia's interests," he said. "One of the ways that we cement that is through those personal relations." Mr Albanese was keen to highlight Australia's upgraded defence and security relationships with Fiji, PNG, Tuvalu, Nauru and other smaller nations in the Pacific. "We are family and we assist each other as friends, not with strings attached," he said. "What we do is we help each other out because of our common interests and our common values." Mr Rabuka met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra earlier this week. In a keynote address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, he spoke glowingly of bilateral ties between Suva and Canberra in a deteriorating world. "Unfortunately for now, I contest the region's outlook is more uncertain than at any time since Fiji's independence in 1970," he said. "Perhaps we have reached a point in our Fiji-Australia relationship where a renewed and elevated Vuvale partnership needs a further step-up to an agreement for a treaty." Anthony Albanese has hailed the importance of personal relationships with Pacific nations at a time when other powers are seeking to increase their influence. The prime minister, who will host Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka when the Wallabies take on Fiji in their one-off Rugby Union Test in Newcastle on Sunday, reiterated the importance of soft diplomacy in the region. "Relationships between nations essentially come down to relationships between people," he told ABC Radio on Saturday. "It is a great way in which our nations can show our commonality. We are all members of the Pacific family." Australia has provided $10 million over seven years for the Fijian Drua women's and men's teams in the Super Rugby Pacific and Australia Super W competitions. Some $600 million over a decade for a PNG NRL team had also cemented the relationship between the two neighbouring nations, Mr Albanese said. He said investments in sports were linked with education and economic development, resulting in better health outcomes and stronger, more secure and smarter Pacific populations. At a time when the United States is pulling away and China and Russia are trying to increase their influence, the prime minister stressed the importance of positioning Australia as the partner of choice. "We have a considerable defence and security presence throughout the Pacific and that's very much, in these uncertain times, in Australia's interests," he said. "One of the ways that we cement that is through those personal relations." Mr Albanese was keen to highlight Australia's upgraded defence and security relationships with Fiji, PNG, Tuvalu, Nauru and other smaller nations in the Pacific. "We are family and we assist each other as friends, not with strings attached," he said. "What we do is we help each other out because of our common interests and our common values." Mr Rabuka met with Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House in Canberra earlier this week. In a keynote address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, he spoke glowingly of bilateral ties between Suva and Canberra in a deteriorating world. "Unfortunately for now, I contest the region's outlook is more uncertain than at any time since Fiji's independence in 1970," he said. "Perhaps we have reached a point in our Fiji-Australia relationship where a renewed and elevated Vuvale partnership needs a further step-up to an agreement for a treaty."
ABC News
37 minutes ago
- ABC News
Michael Maguire: "Welcome to Coaching!"
Brisbane made it 4 straight wins in the NRL in dramatic fashion to kick off round 18 fighting back from 18-0 down to win 22-18. This is right after 4 straight losses piled the pressure on coach Michael Maguire (25:16) But in response to being asked what he's done differently all Madge told Andrew Moore and the team was "Welcome to Coaching!". However he did say he's welcomed the return of Ezra Mam and still has more quality players to inject into his side. Also on Saturday NRL Luke Lewis and Billy Moore go head to head to discuss Origin 3 (2.46:04). You can also check in on the NSW Origin camp with Hudson Young (1.20:34) who explained that the Blues are getting even closer as a group on and off the field. From the Queensland camp Tom Dearden (1.36:58) explained what it like to prepare for a match when the series is on the line. And as part of the series looking back over the decades in Origin - Noel Cleal (2:15:59) joins Andrew to discuss the 1985 Blues win. You can also get all the latest Rugby League News - and speculation - in MC's Hammertime (46:48)
