Tough loss

Shevchenko defeats Shelton in Miami

7-6(3) 6-7(3) 3-6

A. Shevchenko defeated Ben Shelton 6-7(3) 7-6(3) 6-3 in the first round of the Miami Open on hard court. Shelton took the opening set in a tiebreak, but Shevchenko leveled the match by winning the second-set tiebreak by the same margin before pulling away in a decisive third set. The result moves Shevchenko through to the second round at Miami.

Match context

Why this one matters

A loss in a 1/32 finals match at Miami on hard courts stays in the archive because it maps the current edges: the returning days when the serve doesn't decide things alone, the surfaces and matchups that stretch the game, and what has to sharpen before the next big week.

  • Lost two tiebreaks to Shevchenko
  • Held serve in opening set but fell in third

Share this match