The 2025 Wimbledon Championships officially starts on June 30, and several ATP and WTA stars are already training on the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the favorites to lift the title, but Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal, believes that there can be surprises, naming an American star.
“Normally, a Sinner-Alcaraz final [would be expected], but we’re talking about a particular Slam, there are always some surprises,” he told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport (via Tennis365). “If you find a [Ben] Shelton or another great hitter on the day, important heads can fall. Grass is a treacherous surface, where the match can quickly get out of hand.”
Shelton, 22, has become one of the most dangerous players on tour with only three years as a professional. The American entered the Top 10 for the first time on June 16, and he is already a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. He reached his first semis at the 2023 US Open, while doing the same this year in Australia.
At the Roland Garros, he was defeated in the fourth round by eventual champion Alcaraz in a four-setter, winning the third set. Shelton could meet one of Sinner or Alcaraz from the last 16 onwards, depending on the draw.
Ben Shelton during Queen’s championship (Getty Images)
Ahead of Wimbledon, Shelton defeated Jari Lehecka and Pierre-Hugues Herbert on route to a semifinal showdown in Stuttgart, where he ultimately lost to Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile, he was eliminated in the first round of Queen’s Club. While he can be a threat, his performance on grass isn’t precisely impressive, with an 8-9 win-loss record.
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After Alcaraz clinched his fifth Grand Slam title in Paris, coming back from sets down to Sinner, the Spaniard and the Italian consolidated their rivalry and their place as the two most-dominant players on tour.
As they can meet once again in a second Grand Slam final in Wimbledon, Toni Nadal also give his opinion on Sinner’s form after losing early in Halle. “Maybe Sinner still lacks a bit of consistency after the break, but let’s not forget that he has reached two finals, a Masters 1000 and a Slam since he came back,” he said.
“I don’t think this defeat on grass will undermine his path at Wimbledon or the rest of the season. Sinner will start again from here,” Nadal added about the Italian chances to win his fourth major title.
