Ben Shelton’s Thrilling Comeback: Fonseca Shines in Basel
Cilic and Opelka secure spots in the ATP 500
October 21, 2025
Swiss Indoors Basel
Ben Shelton boasts an impressive season record of 38 wins to 19 losses, as recorded by the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
By ATP Staff
In an exhilarating match at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Tuesday, Ben Shelton clinched his first victory since the US Open, rescuing two match points to triumph over Kamil Majchrzak with scores of 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(7), boosting his chances for Nitto ATP Finals qualification.
After a left shoulder injury forced him to retire in the third round against Adrian Mannarino at the US Open, Shelton returned to action earlier this month in Shanghai, but faced an early exit against David Goffin.
Though he wasn’t at his sharpest against Majchrzak, the 23-year-old displayed his renowned determination in the match’s clutch moments. He saved two match points in a tense third-set tie-break, coming back from 4-6 down and converting on his second match point after a gripping two-hour and 43-minute contest. The lefty, who was a finalist in Basel last year, will now face Jaume Munar in the next round.
“It was a match of narrow margins. At times, he had the match in his control, then I found myself in the driver’s seat,” reflected Shelton. “In the early rounds, especially on a fast court like this, matches often come down to fine details. I maintained my focus and resilience, which paid off.”
“He served exceptionally well, handled my serving well, and was tough from the baseline. This win is huge for me, especially coming back from injury. I’m thrilled to build some momentum.”
Shelton currently stands sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, maintaining a comfortable 625-point lead over ninth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is just below the Top-8 cutoff and is set to compete in Basel as well.
In a nail-biting first set, Shelton saved three break points at 5-5 with stellar serving and almost broke Majchrzak at 6-5. However, he lost grip, dropping 11 of the last 13 points in that set. After taking a medical timeout for blisters during the second set, he remained unbreakable and forced a decisive third set.
Shelton unleashed 44 winners and saved two match points to secure his victory in the tie-break, celebrating with a roar directed towards his father, Bryan Shelton, in the audience.
“This win means a lot to me,” Shelton expressed. “Finding my rhythm again post-injury can be a challenge, especially towards the end of the season when players are in peak form. But my preparation for this tournament has really helped me compete at this level.”
Earlier in the day, Joao Fonseca marked a noteworthy achievement by defeating defending champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with a score of 7-6(6), 6-3, earning the title of the youngest match winner at the ATP 500 event since Denis Shapovalov in 2017.
The 19-year-old delivered a commanding performance, winning an impressive 72% (21/29) of net points by following up his powerful forehands, as per Infosys ATP Stats. Fonseca will go on to face fellow #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik in the next round.
Fonseca has had an extraordinary debut season on Tour. The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals champion showcased his skills by winning his first tour-level title in Buenos Aires and breaking into the Top 50 of the PIF ATP Rankings, currently holding a 22-15 record for the year.
In other matches, Marin Cilic defeated Belgian lucky loser David Goffin with a score of 7-6(9), 7-5, moving into the second round. Cilic, who previously beat Goffin in qualifying, will face either fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Gabriel Diallo next. Their head-to-head matchups are currently tied at 5-5.
Reilly Opelka triumphed over Sebastian Baez with a score of 6-3, 6-4, and Valentin Royer secured a win against Raphael Collignon with scores of 6-4, 7-6(5).
