Of the 18 Americans who began the men’s singles – the most of any nation – perhaps the most excitement surrounded Ben Shelton. A quarter-finalist at Wimbledon last year, the left‑hander won his first grass‑court title in Stuttgart in June and, with one of the best serves in the game, seems made for the surface.
On Tuesday the No 4 seed duly lost in the first round, beaten 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9) by Otto Virtanen of Finland, the world No 140 appearing in just his second Wimbledon. Shelton led by two sets to one, had chances to break in the fifth and then a match point at 9-8 in the tie‑break, only to dump a forehand in the net. Two points later the match was over, a scorching Shelton forehand landing agonisingly wide.
