Ben Shelton Advances to ATP Masters Quarterfinals at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 12, 2025 — American tennis player Ben Shelton made history Wednesday by becoming the youngest American quarter-finalist at the BNP Paribas Open since Andy Roddick in 2004. The 22-year-old achieved this milestone after defeating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 7-6(6), 6-1.

After a tightly contested first set, Shelton managed to gain the upper hand in the tiebreaker, where he was just two points away from losing. Nakashima’s backhand volley went awry, allowing Shelton to take the lead. The 11th seed received a medical timeout following the first set, which was notable for his blister on the left hand. He quickly dominated the second set to secure his spot in the quarter-finals after one hour and 34 minutes.

“For me, the second set was outstanding. Whenever you can get a two-break win in a set against a server like him, it is really encouraging for where my level is at,” Shelton said after the match. “I am pleased with my performance today. There are things I am trying to add into my game each week, and I’m trying to implement them this week.”

Shelton hit 26 winners but also recorded 18 unforced errors according to Infosys ATP Stats. He has maintained an impressive record against Nakashima, winning all nine sets they have played and leading their head-to-head series 4-0. Currently ranked No. 12 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Shelton’s previous quarter-final appearances at Masters 1000 events occurred in Shanghai (2023) and Cincinnati (2024).

“I feel confident. It is a big goal for me to keep improving and keep going deeper in the big events,” Shelton noted. He is set to face either third seed Taylor Fritz, the 2022 champion, or 13th seed Jack Draper in the next round.

Meanwhile, in another match, Argentine player Francisco Cerundolo upset ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3, marking his first quarter-final appearance at Indian Wells. Cerundolo saved a set point on serve at 5-5 in the first set and capitalized on De Minaur’s 39 unforced errors to advance after an hour and 50 minutes.

“I am super happy. I knew it was going to be a battle today,” Cerundolo expressed. “Alex is an amazing player, a fighter. I had another match, another opportunity, and I think I did really well.”

Cerundolo is now ranked No. 24 and aims to improve as he prepares to face second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, who breezed past Grigor Dimitrov in just 74 minutes in the previous round.