'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ben Shelton completed an impressive 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) comeback win over Dan Evans in his Acapulco opener, following in the footsteps of his father Bryan.
Bryan Shelton reached the quarterfinal at the 1994 Mexican Open. His son, with Monday’s win, has gotten a step closer to replicating the feat.
Tennis TV was quick to acknowledge Shelton's win at Acapulco 30 years after his father’s quarterfinal run. They shared a post on social media with pictures of both players, with the caption “Like father, like son.”
Shelton reshared the post in his Instagram stories.
“Been a little minute,” he wrote.
Shelton also showed his appreciation to the fans for coming out in large numbers to support him in Acapulco. He expressed hope of bringing a “positive light” to the city, which was recently hit by Hurricane Otis.
“I’m really glad to come out here and hopefully be a positive light for the people of Acapulco,” Ben Shelton said during his post-match interview. “I wasn't sure how big the crowd was going to be coming out today, but the people really showed out and it just shows the kind of culture they have here in Acapulco, how much they love sport and it just makes it one of the most fun places to play.”
"Definitely a really tricky matchup for me” - Ben Shelton after ousting Dan Evans in Acapulco encounter
Ben Shelton reflected on his opening-round win at Acapulco, saying he was happy to come through against Dan Evans, whom he described as a tricky first opponent.
"Definitely a really tricky matchup for me,” Ben Shelton said. “Dan is a guy that I know well, we have a lot of banter in the locker room and [he is a] guy whose game presents a lot of challenges."
The American said he was proud of with the way he was able to recover after dropping the first set 6-2.
"So to be able to come out of this first match here in Acapulco with a win after losing the first set is a big accomplishment for me,” he added.
Shelton will next take on Matteo Arnaldi for a spot in the Acapulco quarterfinals. The Italian staged a big upset in the opening round by taking out fourth seed Taylor Fritz.
