By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 8, 2025
Ben Shelton did everything he could to keep the 19-year-old Jakub Mensik in Auckland on Wednesday night, but in the end the American could not hold the rising check.
Mensik converted his sixth match point to defeat the top-seeded American in a thrilling affair, 7-6(2), 4-6 7-5, and he moves into a quarter-final line-up featuring just two top seeds.
The Czech teenager outshot Shelton 10-7 and won a higher percentage of first serve points in the contest, claiming 80 percent to just 62 percent for Shelton.
All that was missing was an elusive break point – he couldn’t convert on his first 11 but finally sealed his victory on the 12th to move into his seventh career quarter-final. He is the youngest player to reach the last eight in Auckland since Rafael Nadal in 2004.
Another statement win 💪@mensik_jakub_ tops Shelton in a thrilling encounter in Auckland 7-6 4-6 7-5#ASBClassic25 pic.twitter.com/EZ861fALBT
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 8, 2025
In other ASB Classic action, Gael Monfils beat Jan-Lennard Struff to become the oldest quarter-finalist since 1970 in Auckland. The Frenchman cruised to a 6-1, 7-6(5) triumph, while 19-year-old American Nishesh Basavareddy topped defending champion Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to set up an all-American quarter-final showdown with Alex Michelsen (which brought out Lorenzo Sonego).
