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Match Details
Fixture: (13) Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego
Date: May 25, 2025
Tournament: French Open 2025
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: $56,352,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego preview
Thirteenth seed Ben Shelton will begin his 2025 French Open campaign with a first-round clash against Lorenzo Sonego. This is the second Grand Slam meeting between the two this year, as Shelton won against the Italian at the Australian Open quarterfinal, reaching his second Major semifinal in what has been his best result in 2025 till now. The duo also contested at the French Open in 2023, where Sonego emerged victorious.
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The clay season has been mixed for Shelton, as he reached the final of the BMW Open in Munich, losing 2-6, 4-6 against Alexander Zverev. However, the American player has a poor 1-3 win/loss record at the three Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. At his last event, he lost in his opening match 2-6, 1-6 against Jaume Munar at the Italian Open.
For Lorenzo Sonego, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open has been a breakthrough moment for the Italian this year. He also reached the quarterfinal of the Open 13, losing 4-6, 4-6 against the eventual champion Ugo Humbert.
Clay has not been a fruitful surface for Sonego this year, as the Italian has won a single match on the red dirt before entering Roland Garros. He won his first-round match 6-4, 7-6 (5) against Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid, but lost 2-6, 3-6 against Alex de Minaur in the next round. In his last event at the Italian Open, he lost 2-6, 3-6 against Roman Andres Burruchaga.
Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego head-to-head
Shelton has a 2-1 head-to-head record against Sonego, having won the last match 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) at the Australian Open.
Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego prediction
The one win for Sonego against Shelton came at Roland Garros itself in 2023, with the Italian winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Shelton won 57 and 36 percent of the service and return points, whereas Sonego won 64 and 43 percent of the points in the match. Shelton found it difficult to hold his serve against the Italian on the clay, as he got broken seven times in that match.
Shelton has reached two finals on clay in his career so far. Aside from the final in Munich, he reached the final of the US Men's Clay Court Championships in April last year, where he won his only clay-court title against Frances Tiafoe in the final. Meanwhile, Sonego has reached one clay-court final in his career, winning the title at the 2021 Sardegna Open, winning the final 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 against Laslo Djere.
Even though Sonego won the last French Open encounter against Shelton, the American player is the favorite to win as he is the seeded player, and his game on the clay has improved significantly in the last two years.
Pick- Shelton to win in four sets.
