Ben Shelton is through to his first Indian Wells quarter-final. The American faced his compatriot Brandon Nakashima in the fourth round and earned a 7-6, 6-1 victory in an hour and 34 minutes. Thus, Ben became the youngest American in the Indian Wells quarter-final since Andy Roddick in 2004!
ADVERTISEMENT
Shelton claimed 17 points more than his opponent. He prevailed in a tight opener after standing two points from losing it two times. The 22-year-old took charge in set number two and sealed the deal without issues. Ben will face Jack Draper in a blockbuster quarter-final in the desert.
Nakashima struggled to find the first serve. He dropped 44% of the points in his games and suffered three breaks from five chances offered to his opponent. Ben produced more efficient numbers behind the first and second serve.
He denied three of four break points and sealed the deal in straight sets. Shelton landed 26 winners and18 unforced errors. He reduced Brandon to nine winners and 21 mistakes, while building a massive 23-9 advantage in service winners.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shelton hit well from the baseline and outplayed his rival 37-29. Both players saved two break points in the opening games of the duel. The younger player made a push on the return at 2-2 and cracked a backhand crosscourt winner for three break chances.
Nakashima netted a routine forehand on the first, losing serve at love and falling 3-2 behind. Instead of building on that, Ben played a loose drop shot in the sixth game, suffering a break and bringing his opponent back to the positive side.
They served well in the second part of the set. Nakashima claimed the ninth game with a volley winner and held at 15 two games later to keep the pressure on the other side. Shelton handled it nicely and landed a service winner at 5-6 to introduce a tie break.
Ben led 4-2 before dropping three straight points. A left-hander responded with two service winners and created a set point at 6-5. Brandon erased it with a service winner and prolonged the battle. Shelton drew Nakashima's volley error in the 13th point for a mini-break and his second set point.
ADVERTISEMENT
He welcomed the rival's forehand error, clinching the opener 7-6 in 63 minutes. Ben gained a massive boost and wrapped up the second set in half an hour. He drew the rival's mistake in the second game and clinched a break with another following a forehand crosscourt attack.
A left-hander closed the third game with a service winner and painted a forehand crosscourt winner in the next one for a break chance. He passed Nakashima at the net with a running forehand attack, delivering his second straight break and moving 4-0 in front.
Shelton held at love in game five for 5-0 and served for the win at 5-1. The younger American landed a volley winner at the net for three match points and converted the first with a forehand crosscourt winner, sailing over the top in style.
