London, July 1: In a stunning upset at the All England Club, Otto Virtanen saved a match point and defeated fourth-seeded Ben Shelton in the first round of Wimbledon 2026. The match, which lasted four hours and 21 minutes, ended with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(8), 6-2, 7-6(9).
Ranked 140th in the ATP standings, Virtanen showcased remarkable resilience on Court No. 2. He saved a match point at 8/9 in the decisive 10-point tiebreaker, capitalizing on a forehand error from Shelton to secure his first match point.
This victory marks Virtanen’s most significant win of his career, as he had never previously defeated a top-20 player. Once ranked as high as 91st in the world, Virtanen made his second appearance in Wimbledon’s main draw after successfully navigating the qualifying rounds at Roehampton last week.
In the second round, the 25-year-old Virtanen will face Arthur Fery, currently ranked 114th in the world. Fery advanced by defeating Damir Dzumhur with a score of 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.
In contrast, fellow American top-10 player Taylor Fritz had a smooth first-round victory at SW19. The sixth seed, who was set to play Jack Draper before the British player withdrew, easily defeated lucky loser Dusan Lajovic with scores of 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.
Fritz, 28, holds an impressive 8-2 record on grass courts this year. Before arriving in London, he reached the finals of ATP Tour events in Stuttgart and Halle. Notably, Fritz opted out of the Eastbourne tournament, where he has been a four-time champion, just before Wimbledon. He acknowledged that adjusting to his new preparation affected his mental rhythm against Lajovic.
Fritz, who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the first time last year, will face compatriot Patrick Kipson in the second round. Kipson, ranked 113th, defeated fellow American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald with scores of 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
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