Wimbledon: Ben Shelton is 1 game away from winning when his match is suspended because of darkness

By Canadian Press on July 3, 2025.

LONDON (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Ben Shelton’s second-round match at Wimbledon was suspended because of fading light with him a game away from beating Rinky Hijikata on Thursday night.

The 10th-seeded Shelton was about to serve for the match while leading 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 when action was halted at No. 2 Court, which does not have a roof or artificial lights.

Shelton, a 22-year-old American, had just held three match points in the previous game, up 5-3 and love-40 as Hijikata served. But the 87th-ranked Australian grabbed the next five points in a row to extend the contest.

Play was stopped at 9:30 p.m. They will resume on Friday.

The left-handed, big-serving Shelton reached the fourth round at the All England Club a year ago. He made it to the semifinals at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

The Associated Press