Ben Shelton, Wimbledon Crowd Couldn't Believe Decision to Suspend Play at Crucial Moment

Shelton was fuming.

Shelton reacts to his match getting suspended at Wimbledon / Screengrab via ESPN

Up two sets to none, Ben Shelton didn't expect his night to end before he served for the match.

As the ATP No. 10-ranked player got ready to serve to Australian Rinky Hijikata to finish his second-round match at Wimbledon, the chair umpire announced that play was being suspended due to darkness. Shelton was up 5-4 in the third set, ready to serve to win the match.

Play was suspended at 9:29 p.m. local time at the All England Club. The strange timing of the decision sent Shelton into a tizzy as an official tried to explain the decision to him while the crowd erupted in awe and disappointment.

Ben Shelton reacts to his match against Rinky Hijikata being suspended at 9:29 PM local time.

The match will be resumed tomorrow after play is suspended due to darkness. pic.twitter.com/6X3mFleai0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 3, 2025

Both players advocated for play to get stopped earlier—once before the third set and again a few games later, about 30 minutes before play was officially halted for the night. According to The Athletic, a tournament spokesperson said “due to poor light it was not possible to continue and not an option to move to another court.”

More Wimbledon. curfew wimbledon. Why Does Wimbledon Have a Curfew?. light

Shelton didn't suffer a break all match and now has to come out cold Friday morning and serve for the match when it picks back up Friday.

After he cooled down and packed up, Shelton took a moment to wave to the fans who disappointedly began to head for the exits. He received a massive uproar that he should remember as he tries to hold serve and eliminate Hijikata Friday after a night's rest.

---

More Wimbledon on Sports Illustrated

feed