Tight battle

Shelton survives Damm in Washington

4-6 6-4 4-6

Ben Shelton defeated Martin Damm 6-4 4-6 6-4 in the first round of the Washington ATP singles event on hard court. Shelton took the opener before Damm leveled the match by claiming the second set, then Shelton closed it out with a 6-4 third.

Match context

Why this one matters

A win in a match at Washington on hard courts is another data point in the argument Shelton's game keeps making: that first-strike tennis — the serve, the forehand behind it, the forward pressure — holds up week over week, not just on highlight reels.

  • Won opener, dropped set 2, closed 6-4
  • Career 2-0 vs. Damm
  • Hard-court first-round victory

Washington — every round

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