Wimbledon: Ben Shelton needs four points and about a minute to wrap up a win
'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 U.S. Open and this year's Australian Open, was about to try to serve out the match on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. when action was halted at No. 2 Court, 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 warmup period that was quite a bit longer the resumption of actual play, Shelton began with a 141 mph ace. The 22-year-old left-hander then hit a second serve that resulted in a framed return by Hijikata, followed with an ace at 140 mph and one more at 118 mph 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 Marton Fucsovics of Hungary for a chance to reach the fourth round at the All England Club for the second consecutive year.
Shelton told the crowd: 'I'm sorry that you guys didn't really get to see much tennis.'
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
Right before things were halted Thursday, Shelton held three match points while leading 5-3 and at love-40 on Hijikata's serve. But but the 87th-ranked Hijikata grabbed the next five points to extend the contest.
Shelton faced only three break points against Hijikata, saving all of them.
'A great match,' he said. 'A clean match.'
___
Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lonzo Ball excited for fresh start with Cavaliers after trade from Bulls
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — Lonzo Ball doesn't have to worry about rehabbing from a knee injury for the first time in a couple seasons. Instead, the veteran guard will use the offseason getting acclimated to a new team. Ball was at the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice complex meeting with the medical staff and coaches on Monday after his trade from the Chicago Bulls for forward Isaac Okoro was finalized on Sunday. Chicago and Cleveland agreed to the trade on June 28, but it didn't become official until the start of the new league year on Sunday. 'I think it's a great situation for my play style,' Ball said. 'Don (Donovan Mitchell) is one of the best players we have in the league. And they have two bigs that are mobile, can set pick-and-rolls and get to the rim like that. And then do some switching on defense. I think we can do a lot of different things on both sides of the ball, and to have the option to be able to do those things is great.' Ball averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 35 games this past season after missing the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns because of a left knee injury. The 27-year old Ball underwent a meniscus and cartilage transplant in his left knee in March 2023 after two surgeries failed to fix an injury he suffered during his first season in Chicago in 2021-22. He missed the last two months of the season due to a sprained right wrist, but was encouraged with the way his knee held up throughout the season. 'After the games I didn't really know what to expect. But, you know, when I first got back versus Minnesota in that preseason game, I was kind of surprised that I was moving around,' Ball said. 'I feel like I just got better as the year went on. Unfortunately, I had to deal with my wrist, but as far as my knee was concerned, it was pretty good.' Ball, the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 draft, has one year remaining on his contract with a team option for the 2026-27 season. Cleveland had a need at point guard after Ty Jerome signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Starter Darius Garland is likely to miss the start of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his left big toe last month. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Cavaliers had the second-best record in the NBA at 64-18 but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the Indiana Pacers in five games. Ball has yet to take part in a playoff game in the six seasons he has played, which is something he is hoping will change. 'When you start in September or October you can't look too far ahead. But they were No. 1 in the East last year, so everybody knows that. It's pretty much ring or nothing,' he said. 'It's just making sure I'm prepared to be as available as possible and put myself in the best position to finish the season strong. Right now, it's more so just being in the weight room making sure my lower body is good and stuff like that.' ___ AP NBA:
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tides net second win of NSL season by trimming Wild 1-0
HALIFAX – Megumi Nakamura scored in the 36th minute and the Halifax Tides' defenders did the rest as they bent but did not break in edging the visiting Calgary Wild 1-0 in Northern Super League action on Monday. It was just the second win in nine women's matches for the Tides, who outshot the Wild 8-4 (2-1 on target) despite having possession for only 48 per cent of the match. The Tides, who improved to two wins, six losses and a draw, are still last in the six-team circuit but they gained ground on the fifth-place Wild, who slipped to three wins, five losses and two draws. The hosts received the lone yellow card of the match at Wanderers Grounds. UP NEXT Wild: Host the Vancouver Rise on Saturday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Tides: Visit the Montreal Roses on Saturday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Kershaw appreciates his latest All-Star Game selection while understanding its unusual circumstances
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw appreciates his 11th career All-Star Game selection while acknowledging this one's a little different from the rest. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has made only nine starts this season but still got selected to the National League team as a Legend Pick by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, under a provision in the collective bargaining agreement. 'You never take for granted getting to go to an All-Star Game, regardless of the circumstances,' Kershaw said Monday before the Dodgers played the Milwaukee Brewers. 'Obviously, I don't deserve to get to go this season. I haven't pitched very much.' This marked the first time Manfred made a Legend Pick for the All-Star Game since 2022, when Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols both received that designation. 'I didn't really actually know that was a thing,' Kershaw said. 'At the end of the day, it's weird, but it's cool, so I'm just going to enjoy it.' The honor comes less than a week after Kershaw recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, becoming just the 20th pitcher to reach that plateau. He's in his 18th season with the Dodgers, tying Hall of Fame outfielder Zack Wheat and shortstop Bill Russell for the franchise record. The 37-year-old left-hander didn't make his season debut until May 17 as he worked his way back from toe and knee surgeries. He also had undergone shoulder surgery after the 2023 season. He owns a 4-0 record and 3.43 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings. 'I think it's mixed,' Kershaw said. 'I think there's some good and some bad. I think it's helpful to be able to get the reps, go back out and be able to feel OK in between starts to work on some stuff and try to figure out some things mechanically and pitch-wise and stuff. I'd say overall, I wouldn't say I'm happy, but I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, either. Just kind of right in the middle.' All these career milestones naturally lead to questions about Kershaw's legacy and future. Kershaw says he's just focusing on the here and now. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I don't know what's going to happen in the future,' he said. 'I really have no idea when it comes to the years beyond this one, so I'm just trying to enjoy it, trying to be part of a really good team this year. We've still got a lot to accomplish, and we still have October. It's really hard to look at stuff individually when you're trying to accomplish something as a team.' But he still appreciates this latest honor, no matter how he was selected. 'I'll never pass up that opportunity,' Kershaw said. 'It's a tremendous honor. Super thankful to get to go. Regardless of the situation or how I maybe snuck into the All-Star Game, it's pretty cool to get to be able to go.' ___ AP MLB:
