Ben Shelton Reveals Hilarious Story About his Interaction with the Chair Umpire Over Match Suspension at Wimbledon

Ben Shelton was serving for the match when the play got halted at Wimbledon.

Ben Shelton Reveals Hilarious Story About his Interaction with the Chair Umpire Over Match Suspension at Wimbledon

Ben Shelton Wimbledon (via Independent)

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Ben Shelton spoke to the media after his swift win on Friday at Wimbledon, revealing that he had one clear goal—wrap it up fast. He even told the umpire the night before that he planned to finish it quickly when play resumed.

The match had been paused late Thursday due to darkness, just as Shelton was about to serve for the win against Rinky Hijikata. The delay frustrated both players, especially since they had earlier suggested stopping play when the light was already fading. Shelton said in his post-match press conference at Wimbledon:

He said there was a 5 minute warning till Hawkeye was going down & that was including the changeover. So there wouldn’t be enough time to complete the game. I told him ‘I only need 60 seconds.’

Despite the crowd chanting for “one more game,” officials chose to suspend the match. Shelton showed visible frustration but had no choice but to wait until the next day to finish it.

When he returned to the court on Friday morning, Shelton wasted no time. In just 69 seconds, he held serve and closed out the match with ease.

Ben Shelton finishes his match at Wimbledon

After a restless night, Ben Shelton wasted no time on Friday, needing only 71 seconds to finish his second-round match at Wimbledon. The American had been in control when play was suspended the night before.

Ben Shelton (2)
Ben Shelton (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Shelton was leading Rinky Hijikata 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 on Thursday when fading light stopped play at 9:29 p.m. When action resumed the next day, he returned to Court No. 2 focused on wrapping things up quickly. Just four clean shots later, Shelton sealed the victory. He now aims to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the second straight year.

Next, Shelton will face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics. The 22-year-old sits 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and hopes a strong showing at SW19 will keep him in the mix for the Nitto ATP Finals. With four of the top eight contenders already out, the door is open.

Should the All England club change scheduling approach after Ben Shelton saga?

American star Ben Shelton expressed measured frustration after his delayed second-round win at Wimbledon. Speaking to the press, he shared how he had planned to close the match quickly and followed through with that plan. It took him just over a minute and four serves—three of them aces—to seal the victory on Friday after a five-minute warm-up.

Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton (Image via X/Roland Garros)

The match had been halted the night before when Shelton was about to serve for the win against Rinky Hijikata. Both players had already flagged the fading light earlier, but officials chose to suspend play only at 9:29 p.m., just before the potential final game. Fans had hoped for a finish, chanting for “one more game,” but their calls went unanswered.

Shelton admitted he felt the match should’ve been stopped earlier if a suspension was likely. He pointed out that moments earlier in the third set or even after the second could have been more logical stopping points. Despite this, he remained pragmatic, acknowledging the tournament’s decisions while noting the strange timing.

The incident sparked broader discussion around scheduling and curfews at Wimbledon. Though the curfew exists to respect local residents, many questioned why the match wasn’t played until the 11 p.m. limit. Shelton also raised concerns about slippery courts once the temperature drops, suggesting it’s more of a safety and scheduling issue than just about lighting.

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