Shelton Shines in Melbourne: A Promising Australian Open Start
20 January 2026
Shelton's Melbourne Debut Delivers
Ben Shelton, who reached last year's semi-finals, returned to action at the Australian Open with his signature pressure and accuracy, defeating world No. 7 Ugo Humbert 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 on Rod Laver Arena to reinforce his strong Melbourne record.
Shelton will face the winner of Gaël Monfils vs a Australian wildcard in the second round.
Top-10 Seeds and Other First-Round Winners
The No. 5 seed, Lorenzo Musetti, progressed after Belgian Rafael Colignon withdrew due to injury while trailing in the match, with Musetti effectively pacing toward the next round (4-6) (7-6) (7-5) (3-2) at the time of the halt.
In a separate top-10 showcase, Italian Lorenzo Sonego advanced by defeating Carlos Taberner 6-4, 6-0, 6-3.
Meanwhile, fellow Italian Luca Darderi (No. 22) claimed his maiden Melbourne main-draw win by beating Cristian Garín 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.
Sébastien Báez started 2026 in style with a five-set triumph over a French opponent, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, adding to his solid early-season form.
American Elliott Spiezieri snapped Brazilian Joao Fonseca's runs with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 win, while Wang Yibing stunned Italian Luca Nardi 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting.
Other results included American Ethan Quin beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, and Russian Karen Khachanov needing five sets to outlast American Alex Michiels 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
In a marathon clash, Czech Jakub Menšík overcame Spanish Pablo Carreño Busta 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3.
Punchline 1: If serving aces were stand-up material, these guys would headline a world tour—no encore required from the crowd.
Punchline 2: In Melbourne, even the nets seem like they’re on a coffee break—every rally adds a little extra drama to the serve-and-volley comedy.
