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Raphael Collignon stuns Ben Shelton to reach his first French Open third round and become the first Belgian to beat a top five at a major since 2013.
Ben Shelton at French Open (AP)
Belgian tennis player Raphael Collignon produced one of the biggest upsets of the French Open so far, defeating fifth seed Ben Shelton in straight sets to reach the third round at Roland Garros for the first time in his career.
The world number 62 delivered a composed and clinical performance to beat the powerful American 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in just over two hours on Thursday. Playing in the main draw in Paris for the very first time, the 24-year-old handled Shelton’s explosive serve impressively and capitalised on key opportunities throughout the match.
Raphael Collignon On Beating Ben Shelton
“I knew I had to try to stay focused on my return, that his real strength was his serve and that I really had to concentrate on my own service game — that was the key,” Collignon told reporters at the French Open.
“I tried to wait for the opportunities and whenever they came, in the end, I stayed fairly calm because I broke serve at just the right moment every time,” he said.
Collignon’s performance was built on consistency and discipline. He won 43 of 49 points on his first serve and, remarkably, did not face a single break point during the contest. His calmness under pressure frustrated Shelton, who exited a Grand Slam before the third round for the first time since Wimbledon 2023.
The victory also carried historical significance for Belgian tennis. Collignon became the first Belgian player to defeat a top-five opponent at a major tournament since Steve Darcis shocked Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013.
An emotional Collignon struggled to contain his feelings after the biggest win of his career.
“It was incredible atmosphere. It’s very emotional because, being Belgian, I used to come here to Roland-Garros quite regularly,” Collignon said as he fought back tears. “So, just being able to play on this court was a dream. And then to win in front of my loved ones, in front of my family, it’s incredible.”
The upset further opened up the top half of the men’s draw after the earlier elimination of Jannik Sinner. Collignon will next face Matteo Arnaldi for a place in the fourth round.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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