Shelton frustrated as play suspended when serving for match

American Ben Shelton was livid when play in his second-round encounter with Rinky Hijikata at Wimbledon was suspended due to dangerous mild as he was about to serve for the match.

After successful the primary two units 6-2 7-5, tenth seed Shelton was main 5-4 within the third and doubtlessly on track to wrap up his progress inside a matter of minutes.

However with the time approaching 21:30 and the daylight having pale, the umpire on courtroom two introduced that there could be no extra play that night, a lot to Shelton, and the group’s, frustration.

The 2-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, 22, angrily questioned officers in regards to the resolution, which implies he has to return on Friday to play what may show to be only one recreation, denying him a full time off.

Including to Shelton’s annoyance was the very fact he had misplaced three match factors on Hijikata’s serve simply earlier than, and had additionally requested if play could possibly be suspended earlier than the beginning of the third set.

Shelton is now on account of resume his match on Friday on courtroom two after the conclusion of Naomi Osaka’s third-round match towards Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Wimbledon match director Jamie Baker defended the choice to cease play.

“We gave the gamers as a lot time as we probably may to attempt to end that match. We performed until very, very late. It was extraordinarily darkish,” he informed BBC Sport.

“In the end, we now have a group of officers who’re on the courtroom, they usually’re making a judgment name on a number of various factors.

“They only didn’t really feel snug with the match persevering with in nearly full darkness.

“So we do stand by the choice. Generally this stuff occur. [We have] plenty of matches to get on courtroom – it was undoubtedly the best resolution from the officers.”