ATP 2025 Australian Open
Day 7 – Saturday 18 January, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.


- The match up: Lorenzo Musetti vs Ben Shelton
- Event Name: 2025 Australian Open
- Match Date: Saturday 18 January
- Day Of Event: Day 7
- Event Address: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Let’s have a look at all the career, performance and head-to-head stats for the match and find out if Lorenzo Musetti or Ben Shelton is expected to win.
Match Details:
Lorenzo Musetti vs Ben Shelton – Saturday 18 January – 2025 Australian Open – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Lorenzo Musetti vs Ben Shelton Head-to-Head, Preview, Stats & Pick:
Head To Head Musetti leads 2-0.
In what promises to be a thrilling encounter, No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy will face off against No. 21 seed Ben Shelton of the United States in the third round of the Australian Open. The two players have met twice before, with Musetti emerging victorious on both occasions. However, this will be their first meeting on a hard court and their first clash at a Grand Slam tournament.
Musetti, who is competing in the Australian Open as a Top 20 player for the first time in his career, has struggled against top-ranked opponents in the past. He has a 3-8 win-loss record against Top 20 players at Grand Slams, with all of his previous matches against these players taking place at Roland Garros or Wimbledon. Overall, Musetti holds a 26-40 win-loss record against Top 20 players at the Tour level.
Shelton, on the other hand, has had limited success against Top 20 players at Grand Slams. He lost his only previous match against a Top 20 player at the Australian Open last year, falling to No. 19 seed Adrian Mannarino in the third round. Overall, Shelton has a 2-4 win-loss record against Top 20 players at Grand Slams and an 8-19 win-loss record against Top 20 players at the Tour level.
Notably, this match is one of two men’s singles matches between Italian and American players at the Australian Open today. In the Open Era, American players hold a 29-20 edge in the 49 previous meetings between these countries. In Grand Slam tournaments, Americans lead Italians 165-120 in the 285 previous encounters.
For Musetti, this will be his first meeting with an American player at the Australian Open. He holds a 3-3 win-loss record against American players at Grand Slams and a 15-10 win-loss record against them at the Tour level overall. Conversely, Shelton will be facing an Italian player at the Australian Open for the first time. He has a 1-2 win-loss record against Italian players at Grand Slams and a 5-10 win-loss record against them at the Tour level overall.
Musetti’s prowess against left-handed players may come into play in this matchup. Having already defeated Denis Shapovalov, a left-hander, in the second round, Musetti boasts an unbeaten record of 4-0 against left-handed opponents at Grand Slam tournaments. Overall, he holds a respectable 15-10 win-loss record against left-handed players at the Tour level.
When comparing their career statistics, Musetti has the higher ranking at No. 15, while Shelton currently sits at No. 20. Both players have won two titles each and have similar Grand Slam records, with Musetti holding a slight edge at 23-15 compared to Shelton’s 21-9. In terms of their Australian Open records, Musetti has a 3-3 win-loss record, while Shelton boasts an impressive 8-2 record at this tournament.
It is worth noting that Musetti is aiming to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open for the first time in his career, while Shelton has achieved this feat once before. Musetti’s best result at this tournament came last year when he reached the second round, while Shelton’s best performance was reaching the quarterfinals in 2023.
For both players, their success extends beyond the Australian Open. Musetti’s breakthrough came at Wimbledon last year when he reached the semifinals, becoming only the fourth Italian man in history to achieve this feat. Shelton, meanwhile, reached the semifinals at the 2023 US Open, establishing himself as one of the top American players at the time.
As the match unfolds, it will be intriguing to see if Musetti can continue his dominance over Shelton or if the American can mount a comeback. With their previous head-to-head record, Musetti clearly has the upper hand. However, tennis is a game of surprises, and anything can happen on the court. A victory for either player would not only secure a spot in the next round but also add to their growing reputation in the tennis world. The battle between these talented players promises to be a captivating display of skill and determination.
Lorenzo Musetti vs Ben Shelton Prediction:
I believe Lorenzo Musetti will win in straight sets.
The Stevegtennis.com prediction algorithm has a much better success rate in picking
match winners than me!
So check out who it picks for this match here:
Stevegtennis.com Lorenzo Musetti vs Ben Shelton prediction.