Ben Shelton eliminated in Wimbledon first round by Otto Virtanen

Ben Shelton wasted a match point in the fifth-set tiebreaker against qualifier Otto Virtanen at Wimbledon in what the fourth-seeded American called "one of the toughest losses of my career."

Otto Virtanen outlasted Ben Shelton in a four-hour, two-minute thriller, upsetting the top-ranked American on Tuesday in his Wimbledon 2026 opener.

Ben Shelton wasted a match point in the fifth-set tiebreaker against qualifier Otto Virtanen at Wimbledon in what the fourth-seeded American called “one of the toughest losses of my career.” Shelton was eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9) on Tuesday, losing in the first round at the grass-court Grand Slam for the first time in his young career. The 23-year-old Shelton led 8-5 in the deciding 10-point tiebreaker against his 140th-ranked opponent and had match point at 9-8 but made an unforced error and then lost the next two points.

Shelton suffered another stunning early exit at a grand slam for the second time this year

LONDON–American fourth seed Ben Shelton was dumped out in the first round of Wimbledon by Finland’s Otto Virtanen, missing a match point before losing in a fifth-set tie-break. The 23-year-old Shelton, an All England Club quarter-finalist last year, suffered his first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since the 2023 French Open. READ: Wimbledon rolls out stars in strong opening days World number 140 Virtanen will face British wildcard Arthur Fery in the second round after a 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8/10), 6-2, 7-6 (11/9) victory that lasted four hours and 21 minutes. “I had a great month before this one, […]...Keep on reading: Wimbledon: No. 4 seed Ben Shelton knocked out in first round