Ben Shelton walked into his press conference with confidence radiating from every word. After three straight losses to Alexander Zverev, including a heartbreaking three-setter in Cincinnati last year, the American isn’t backing down. Instead, he’s embracing what could be his best chance yet to flip the script against one of tennis’s top players.
What Did Ben Shelton Say About Facing Alexander Zverev at the 2025 Cincinnati Open Quarterfinals?
Ben Shelton recently shared his thoughts on facing Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Cincinnati Open. This matchup carries extra weight since they previously met at this ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament last year, where the German won with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-5.
The history between these two players tells a challenging story for Shelton. They’ve competed against each other three times on the ATP Tour, with the former World No. 2 winning all three matches. Their most recent encounter came in the semifinals of the 2025 BOSS Open in Stuttgart, which Zverev won 7-6(8), 7-6(1). He then finished as the runner-up after losing to Taylor Fritz in the final.
At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Shelton is seeded fifth and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. He advanced to the third round after his opening match opponent, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, retired during the second set with the score at 6-3, 3-1 retd.
The World No. 6 secured his place in the quarterfinals against Zverev by defeating Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(3), 6-3, and 22nd seed Jiří Lehečka 6-4, 6-4 in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.
While speaking to Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj, Shelton said that he is “looking forward” to his match against Zverev. He mentioned feeling “comfortable” with his game on the court and his returning capabilities, something he had previously felt “uncomfortable” with.
“Yeah, I think I’m looking forward to it. I feel really comfortable right now. The most comfortable that I felt on the court, not just playing, but returning. These are the things that I usually feel uncomfortable with. I’m feeling really good. So, I’m looking forward to the matchup,” Shelton said.
Why Does Ben Shelton Want These High-Level Matchups?
Shelton stated that he enjoys playing in the knockout stages of a tournament because it allows him to compete against the top five and top 10 players, which is an “important” goal for him.
“I want to be playing against the top 10 guys. I want to be playing against the top five guys. And so getting to the point in the tournament more often where I get to match up those guys is an important goal for me. Every time that I get to get out there and run it against them is huge. So, one that I’m really looking forward to and excited about tomorrow night,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zverev, seeded third, also began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye at the 2025 Cincinnati Open. On his way to the quarterfinals, he defeated wild card Nishesh Basavareddy (6-3, 6-3), 27th seed Brandon Nakashima (6-4, 6-4), and 14th seed Karen Khachanov (7-5, 3-0, retd).
The winner of the quarterfinal match between Shelton and Zverev will advance to face either second seed Carlos Alcaraz or ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the semifinals.