Indian Wells 2024: Ben Shelton’s Uphill Task at Tennis Paradise and the Jannik Sinner Paradox

The Indian Wells is just on the horizon and some of the best players in the world are getting all set to challenge for the title glory. One of them will be Ben Shelton. Coming into the tournament as a hot favorite, the young American sensation will also be enjoying home support under his belt. But, his journey to the top won’t be easy at all.

Recently, the draw for the Indian Wells was released and as things stand, Ben Shelton could lock horns against Jannik Sinner in the pre-quarterfinals. But, what is the whole saga about? Who will come out on top should they fight for glory? Let’s find out!

The Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton saga at the Indian Wells

Recently, the main round draw at the Indian Wells was released and both Shelton and Sinner were placed in the bottom half of the draws. The two youngsters, who are already making a name for themselves will get a bye in the first round and will be playing their first match in the second round.

Should the two stars manage to win all their matches, they will be meeting each other in the fourth round or the round of 16. This clash will be one of the most crucial ones as it will bid adieu to one of the top contenders for the title in the tournament.

Thus, Ben Shelton, coming to Indian Wells will be facing a tough uphill task of Jannik Sinner in the fourth round of the tournament should they manage to win all of their matches. The match could be a pure joy to watch.

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That being said, what are the head-to-head statistics between the two stars, and who among the two could come out on top in the encounter, should they face?

The head-to-head rivalry between Shelton and Sinner and who could come out on top

So far, the two stars have met each other only 2 times in their career. Out of this, both Shelton and Sinner have managed to win one match each. Interestingly, both their encounters came back last year. The first encounter was at the Shanghai Masters. In a 3-set thriller, Shelton came out on top and won the match with the scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 7-6. 

On the other hand, their next encounter came just 15 days later at the Vienna Open. In a straight-set win, the Italian player managed to take revenge for his loss and came out on top. The final scoreline of the match was 7-6, 7-5 in favor of the Italian star this time around.

Thus, while Jannik Sinner has proven to be a hard nut to crack for everyone, it does not seem to be the case with Ben Shelton. The American star has managed to prevail victorious over his opponent and with the home support over his shoulder, he will be looking to take the lead in the head-to-head statistics. However, given the form that Sinner is in the last months, it could be a tough road ahead for Shelton. Who amongst the two will come out on top? Do let us know in the comments section!