Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen pulled off a major upset at Wimbledon on Tuesday, defeating fourth seed Ben Shelton in a five-set first-round match.
Virtanen, ranked 140th in the world, came from two sets to one down to beat the world No. 5 with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(8), 6-2, 7-6(11-9) victory on No. 2 Court.
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Shelton's Early Exit
The loss marks Shelton's first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since the 2023 French Open.
The American had an advantageous draw after Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to a wrist injury.
During the match, Virtanen saved 11 of 12 break points, including two crucial ones at 3-4 in the final set.
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Shelton squandered multiple mini-break leads in the deciding tiebreak—5-3, 6-4, 7-5, and 8-5—before hitting a final forehand wide.
After the match, the 25-year-old Virtanen expressed his joy in an on-court interview. “I’m here, I played to the last point.
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… A big win on a big court in my favorite place,” he said.
