Last year’s semi-finalist Ben Shelton is through to the last 32 at the Australian Open.
World no. 7 faced Dane Sweeny in the second round and provided a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory in an hour and 42 minutes.
The American landed 19 aces and dropped nine points in his games. A left-hander kept his rival away from break points and challenged him to follow those numbers to remain in touch.
Sweeny could not match that pace, giving away 39% of the points in his games and suffering five breaks from 12 chances presented to the favorite. Shelton landed 38 winners and 17 unforced errors.
He dominated the shortest and mid-range exchanges to control the scoreboard and sail into the last 32. The American grabbed a break in the fourth game of the duel and cemented it with a beautiful backhand crosscourt winner in the next one.
A left-hander served for the opener at 5-3 and landed a service winner to wrap up the first part of the duel in 35 minutes. Ben claimed all 16 points on serve in the second set, providing four holds at love.
He broke Sweeny in the first game with a forehand down the line winner and moved 3-1 up with a booming serve. World no. 7 clinched a break at love in the seventh game and landed an ace at 5-2 to move two sets to love in front after an hour.
Dane denied a break point in the first game of the third set. However, the American stepped in on the return in the fifth game and converted the fourth break chance that sent him in front.
Ben grabbed another break in game seven and fired a powerful serve at 5-2 to seal the deal and move through.
