Ben Shelton Defeats Hubert Hurkacz to Reach US Open Third Round

Ben Shelton survived a tough second-round test from Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, relying on a roaring New York crowd to advance to the U.S. Open third round.

The eighth-seeded American arrived at Flushing Meadows carrying momentum from a successful title defense at the Canadian Open in Montreal. Yet the partisan American crowd proved indispensable during a see-saw battle that stretched three hours and 24 minutes on Wednesday afternoon. Both players entered the contest possessing some of the heaviest serves on the professional tour—each having recorded a blistering 151 mph serve earlier in their careers—setting the stage for a high-stakes duel under the stadium lights.

How Shelton Grounded Out a Four-Set Victory Against Hurkacz

The match began smoothly enough for the tournament’s top-ranked American man. After a 32-minute opening set where Shelton cruised on the strength of his first serve, Hurkacz surrendered his serve in the sixth game with a pair of double faults. But the Polish challenger quickly recalibrated.

Hurkacz pumped 15 winners into the second set, using a precise forehand that clipped the baseline on set point to level the match. The third set saw neither player yield a break point, forcing a tense tiebreak where Shelton grabbed a critical 3-0 advantage that ultimately decided the frame. When the world No. 47 pushed the fourth set deep, Shelton faced two break points in the ninth game before finding another gear in the 12th game to seal the win.

Shelton later acknowledged the demanding nature of the encounter, pointing out that his opponent was serving lights out, moving well, and making few errors from the baseline. The victory advances the young American past the exact round where a shoulder injury forced him to retire during the previous year’s tournament.

Navigating a Rainy Flushing Meadows and a Packed Draw

Wednesday’s action unfolded against the backdrop of weather disruptions that threw tournament schedules into disarray for a second day in New York. While rain forced suspensions on outside courts, matches proceeded uninterrupted beneath the roofs of Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Ben Shelton Defeats Hubert Hurkacz to Reach US Open Third Round — Photo: Thestar

The scheduling bottlenecks left several competitors stuck completing first-round matches while top seeds pushed into the third round. Jessica Pegula needed just 56 minutes to defeat Sofia Kenin, while broadcasting schedules for global viewers ranged from daytime ESPN coverage in the United States to Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, 9Now in Australia, and TSN in Canada.

Chasing History Amid a Competitive Men’s Field

As Team USA’s leading male contender, Shelton carries the hopes of a nation looking to end a championship dry spell that stretches back to Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory in New York. Yet the draw remains treacherous. With Novak Djokovic exiting in the first round and Jannik Sinner sidelined by injury, the upper tier of the men’s bracket has shifted significantly.

Ben Shelton celebrates winning his second-round match against Hubert Hurkacz. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Geoff Burke — Photo: Reuters

Despite those high-profile absences, Shelton navigates a path that likely features a projected quarterfinal against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, whom the American has never beaten in three prior meetings. Rather than dwelling on historical title droughts or prospective matchups, the eighth seed maintains a race-of-one mindset.

“I can’t tell you the last time I’ve thought about the American drought, other than being in these rooms. I think at the same time, we have the defending champ in this tournament. I think the player field has a lot of hot players right now. I’m kind of just running my own race.”