Ben Shelton Shakes Off Rust for Victory in Auckland Opener

Eighth-ranked Ben Shelton began his 2026 season with a win over Francisco Comesana at the ATP Auckland event. Despite showing signs of rust, he succeeded with 12 aces, setting a strong start before the Australian Open. Other top-seeded players faced surprising exits in the second round.

In Auckland, New Zealand, Ben Shelton, ranked eighth, overcame Francisco Comesana with a 7-5, 6-4 victory, shaking off offseason cobwebs in his season opener. Shelton had a bye in the first round of the ATP 250 event, a tournament recurrently chosen to kickstart his season over the past four years.

Supported by his coach and father, Brian Shelton, and his partner, U.S. soccer star Trinity Rodman, Shelton saved a set point to overcome the 68th-ranked Argentine in just over 90 minutes. With an impressive 12 aces securing 78% of first-serve points, Shelton's rustiness showed but didn't hinder his win.

Elsewhere, second-seeded Casper Ruud and fifth-seeded Cameron Norrie suffered unexpected eliminations, dropping their matches to Fabian Marozsan and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, respectively. The tournament serves as a precursor to the Australian Open set to commence soon in Melbourne.

(With inputs from agencies.)