Ben Shelton – Ugo Humbert: a rare lefty showdown! 
Some first-rounds slip by unnoticed. Then there are the ones you circle as soon as the draw lands. This Humbert–Shelton is clearly one of those. Barely back from his Adelaide final, the Frenchman draws one of the most explosive players on tour straight away at the Australian Open. Not exactly a gift for the Frenchman…
Ben Shelton: Australia is his playground 
Since he arrived on tour, Ben Shelton’s often shone away from home, but Melbourne is his anchor. Never knocked out in round one here, the American has taken a real step in the past two seasons. A quarter-finalist in his first full campaign, he really caught attention last year by reaching the semis, stopped cold by Jannik Sinner.
The 2025 season confirmed that leap. Shelton grabbed his first Masters 1000, broke into the top 10 and played the ATP Finals. Even without a win in Turin, he wasn’t embarrassed against Auger-Aliassime, Zverev or Sinner. Now world No. 8, he arrives in Melbourne with a different status and new pressure to manage.
His objective is simple: keep the streak of opening-round wins at the Australian Open alive and establish himself among the hard-court names that actually matter.
Ugo Humbert: plenty of rhythm, no time to catch his breath 
Across the net, Ugo Humbert shows an advantage… and a risk. The advantage is rhythm. The Frenchman has already played a lot this season and carries a positive record. In Adelaide he looked excellent, notably getting past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after a brutal battle.
The flip side is fatigue. The final he lost to Tomas Machac left marks, physically and mentally. Humbert barely had time to digest that disappointment before switching to Melbourne.
A former world No.13 with seven ATP titles, he’s got the experience to take this kind of run. But against Shelton he’ll need to be ready from the first ball. A timid start could be expensive.
A first-time clash, no head-to-head
This will be their first meeting on the ATP Tour. No history, no reference points, just two lefties with very different games.
Shelton hits power and serve. Humbert bets on tempo, variation and taking the ball early. Stats versus left-handers give no clear edge — both hovered around parity last season. So this one will be decided by energy and who holds up in the hot moments.
What to remember
- Ben Shelton has never lost in the first round at the Australian Open.
- The American is starting his first full season inside the top 10.
- Ugo Humbert arrives in form but comes off a draining final.
- First meeting between the two players.
- Two lefties, two styles, a match that can swing fast.
Tennis Prediction Shelton vs Humbert
Ben Shelton to win
Shelton may go quiet in stretches, but his knack for ramping up the pace when it matters could make the difference. Humbert has the tools to take a set and make a match of it, but over the full distance the American looks a notch above, especially in a Grand Slam setting.
Image credits and player photos: ATP
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