Jannik Sinner shows Flavio Cobolli the way to beat Ben Shelton

Flavio Cobolli has qualified for the final of the Monaco tournament and will play for the title on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. against Ben Shelton. The American is a fearsome player who has also beaten Jannik Sinner once in his career. The South Tyrolean, however, has still managed on nine out of ten occasions to come out the winner.

Shelton’s only success dates back to the first meeting, in 2023 in Shanghai, when he managed to impose himself in three sets by overturning the match. Since then, however, the trend has completely reversed. Starting late in 2023 and especially between 2024 and 2025, Sinner strung together a long string of consecutive victories. He beat Shelton on indoor courts (Vienna and Paris-Bercy), on outdoor cement (Indian Wells and Shanghai) and even on grass at Wimbledon, demonstrating superior versatility. Among the most significant victories are those in the Slams: at the Australian Open 2025 in the semifinals and at Wimbledon 2025 in the quarters, both won without conceding a set .

This dominance is not limited to results, but is also reflected in the course of matches. Many matches were controlled with authority by Sinner, often closed in two or three sets and with scores indicating solid management of key moments. Even when Shelton managed to stay hooked, as in tie-breaks, the Italian almost always showed greater coolness.

Another interesting element is the time progression of the rivalry. If Shelton initially managed to surprise with his explosive game of powerful serves and aggressive hitting, as the matches went on Sinner found countermeasures. He neutralized the American’s serve with deep answers and imposed longer exchanges, in which his technical and tactical superiority emerged.