Ben Shelton’s Wild Dive—But Did Gigante Ever Stand a Chance?

Ben Shelton stormed into the Roland-Garros fourth round for the first time in his career, dispatching Matteo Gigante in straight sets (6-3, 6-3, 6-4) in a third-round match that showcased both power and flair The 22-year-old American, seeded 13th, dominated the Italian qualifier with a relentless serve and aggressive net play, unsettling Gigante and forcing 36 unforced errors from his opponent.

The match’s most talked-about moment came in the second set, when Shelton, scrambling for a ball, ended up flat on the clay but still managed to win the point with a miraculous shot from the ground—drawing comparisons to tennis legends and electrifying the Paris crowd.

Gigante, who had stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas in the previous round, was unable to replicate that magic against Shelton’s superior firepower and tactical variety With this victory, Shelton becomes the fourth-youngest American man to reach the fourth round at all four Grand Slam tournaments, joining the likes of Sampras and Courier.

Shelton now awaits a high-profile clash against either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Damir Dzumhur as he continues his breakout run on the Parisian clay.