After two interruptions as a result of rain, the Frenchman, ranked 88th on this planet, misplaced regardless of fervent help from court docket 14.
France Télévisions – Sports activities Editorial
Printed on 05/27/2024 4:47 p.m.
Studying time: 2 min Frenchman Hugo Gaston throughout his first spherical in opposition to American Ben Shelton at Roland-Garros, Could 27, 2024. (DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP)
David won’t have had the pores and skin of Goliath. Hugo Gaston fell as quickly as he entered the fray at Roland-Garros, crushed by Ben Shelton in 4 units (3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4), Monday Could 27. The help of court docket 14, utterly dedicated to his trigger and never dampened by the rain, was not sufficient for him to get the higher of the promising American, ranked fifteenth on this planet at 21 years previous.
Crowded, the preferred annex court docket at Porte d’Auteuil knew that it might be entitled to an attention-grabbing opposition of fashion between two gamers whose solely factor in widespread was the very fact of being left-handed. “Come on Hugo, it’s not the scale that issues”, amused a spectator earlier than the assembly, however the standoff might have shifted to the facility facet. Slightly a puncher, Ben Shelton, this man with the look of a blockbuster actor relied on his highly effective serve to nook the Frenchman into the tarpaulins.
1st spherical: the abstract of the match B. Shelton vs H. Gaston
The small dimension of Hugo Gaston (1.73m – 19 centimeters lower than Ben Shelton) put up good resistance. A bit of extra even within the first spherical, throughout which he confirmed far more need than his opponent.
Reverse, the principle weapon of the fifteenth on this planet, his serve, was nonetheless being damaged down (solely 65% of factors received on the primary ball within the first set). The Toulouse man broke rapidly and nearly logically took the lead regardless of the 73 locations separating the 2 males within the ATP rankings.
As if he wanted a knock to wake him up, Ben Shelton responded authoritatively within the second act. He wanted an ideal service recreation to search out momentum. The momentum stalled considerably within the third set, with rather less effectivity in serving and a primary interruption attributable to the rain.
At that second, the desk confirmed a pleasant tie: 6-3, 3-6, 3-3. Hugo Gaston might have repelled a primary break, however it was on his throw-in that the American took the lead. Barely began, the fourth spherical was stopped by a very violent downpour.
After a second hour of ready, the quantity 15 seed sealed the deal, breaking to win 6-4. Because of his first profession victory on Parisian clay, Ben Shelton advances to the second spherical, the place he’ll problem the Japanese Kei Nishikori.
