Overview
- Shelton defeated qualifier Martin Damm 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a rain-interrupted first-round match on Tuesday that featured momentum swings after the delay.
- He will next face Frenchman Ugo Humbert for a place in the quarter-finals at the Mubadala DC Open.
- Shelton’s victory leaves him as the highest-ranked American remaining in the men’s singles draw after several U.S. players lost in round one.
- After an early Wimbledon exit he trained intensively and said the Washington win and three breaks of Damm’s serve despite two lost service games validate his focus on return games and match sharpness.
- The Washington Open is part of the North American hard-court swing that offers ranking points and match count leading into the US Open, giving Shelton a chance to build confidence he lacked at recent Grand Slams.