Ben Shelton Beats Arthur Rinderknech in Paris Masters, Advances to Face Tommy Paul in Quarter-Finals
Ben Shelton pulled off a thrilling three-set comeback victory against France’s Arthur Rinderknech, winning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 on Thursday afternoon at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre to move into the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters. The third-seeded American set a brand new career high for match wins in a single season after closing out the hard-fought Round of 16 encounter.
Rinderknech took the opening set in impressive style, clinching it with a dreamy touch shot that left the American trailing early in the contest. However, Ben Shelton fought back from a set down to level the match with a 6-4 second set before outlasting the Frenchman in a third-set tiebreak. Having received a bye in his opening round at the 2026 Rolex Paris Masters, Shelton had advanced to the third round by defeating Britain’s Cameron Norrie in straight sets. Following his victory over Rinderknech, Shelton also addressed media reports about court conditions in Nanterre, stating that he disagreed with negative comments made about the surface speed of the Paris Masters courts.
Coaching Setup and Career Milestones
Off the court, the American left-hander has made headlines by securing a high-profile addition to his team. Shelton instructed his agent to check Juan Carlos Ferrero’s availability despite ongoing online speculation linking the Spaniard to other top players on the tour. Ferrero, a former World No. 1 player who previously coached Carlos Alcaraz, agreed to join Shelton’s coaching staff starting in the 2027 season. Ferrero will work alongside Shelton’s primary coach and father, Bryan Shelton. Former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters delivered a strongly positive verdict on the agreement, giving special credit to Bryan Shelton for being open to hiring Ferrero into the existing setup.
The victory keeps alive Shelton’s opportunity to become the first American player to reach a specific milestone at the Paris Masters in 23 years. Shelton made his debut at the ATP Masters 1000 level back at the 2022 Cincinnati Open as a 19-year-old, where he won his opening match by defeating qualifier Lorenzo Sonego 7-6, 3-6, 7-5. Known for making memorable grand entrances, Shelton recently turned heads at the Dallas Open when he walked onto center court for his first-round match against Aleksandar Vukic through a pathway created by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.
Quarter-Final Clash Against Tommy Paul
Ben Shelton now moves on to face fellow countryman Tommy Paul in an all-American quarter-final at the Paris Masters. Broadcast and live streaming details have been confirmed worldwide, with kickoff times set for international TV channels and digital platforms. Elsewhere on the order of play in Nanterre, Carlos Alcaraz is scheduled to open the night session against Taylor Fritz.
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