Andy Murray let down by American at Wimbledon as defeat opens new door for Brit

Andy Murray’s draw has opened up even more if he’s able to get past Stefanos Tsitsipas after Ben Shelton was knocked out in the second round.

Andy Murray’s summer prediction that Ben Shelton will have a successful grasscourt season hasn’t exactly worked out after the American’s surprise exit in the second round of Wimbledon to Laslo Djere – although that may be a good thing for the British sporting icon. Shelton burst onto the scene at this year’s Australian Open when he managed to reach the quarter-finals before losing to compatriot Tommy Paul.

It was only last August when Shelton announced his plans to turn pro with 2023 to be his first full year on the ATP Tour. Like many non-British players though, Shelton headed into the summer with little experience on grass.

Speaking ahead of the grasscourt season, Shelton admitted that he was still trying to get to grips with the surface. But the 20-year-old wasn’t lacking in confidence after beating J.J. Wolf in his first competitive match on grass at Queen’s.

Shelton stated he felt he could “really do some damage on” on grass this summer, although he suffered defeat to Lorenzo Musetti in the very next round. Despite the setback, Shelton’s confidence was shared by Murray who saw enough of the American to predict a good summer for the young ATP star.