Novak Djokovic to Rafa Nadal during the Australian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz:
“Wanna play, Rafa?”
Iconic moment between two of the greatest to ever pick up a tennis racquet. 🥹
Ben Shelton was asked if he feels like he’s getting closer to the guys at the top:
“I think my level is better and I’m getting better and better. Becoming a lot less limited…”
“I want to see myself get out in front and see what I can do from there in a match rather than falling behind.”
“I know how I feel when I get out in front at Slams, I feel like I’m untouchable. I guarantee you the other guys at the top feel the exact same. For me I feel like it’s a matter of time and work. Just trying to put all the pieces together because I’m not complete yet, but I feel myself becoming more complete.”
(via Australian Open Press)
Shelton d. Ruud 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-4
Ben is into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 3rd time in his young career
His most successful slam so far... in fact it's where he had his breakout in 2023
✅5-1 in 2026
✅5th Slam QF
Ben keeps on delivering down under
🇺🇲
⠀
“I didn’t expect you to.” I was telling him the truth, though my tone sounded way more bitter than I expected. After all, I learned it the hard way to break any possible expectation I could possibly have for him.
⠀
⠀ ⠀
⠀
The silence between us began to grow more uncomfortable, yet I couldn’t seem to wiggle a way out of it. All those years of buried emotions and memories were chaining me around the ankles.
“I’m sorry, for what happened to him and for not showing up at the funeral.”
⠀
⠀ ⠀
⠀
It only required around fifteen minutes to reach her destination, yet the sight of the storefront had her frowning and rechecking the navigation on her phone over and over.
Had she failed reading the maps or had they gone out of business?
⠀
⠀ ⠀