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Ben Shelton has late night in first-round win at French Open

AP photo by Thibault Camus / The sun sets Sunday in Paris as Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Sonego play a first-round match at the French Open.
AP photo by Thibault Camus / The sun sets Sunday in Paris as Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Sonego play a first-round match at the French Open. AP photo by Thibault Camus / The sun sets Sunday in Paris as Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Sonego play a first-round match at the French Open.

By JEROME PUGMIRE / The Associated Press 4 min read

PARIS — Ben Shelton beat Lorenzo Sonego for the second straight time at a Grand Slam this year, winning 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 under floodlights to reach the second round of the French Open on Sunday.

The 13th-seeded American celebrated by eagerly waving his racket to the fans.

“I thought the crowd was great, it was my first time here on Court Philippe Chatrier, and it definitely won’t be one that I forget,” Shelton said shortly after midnight, adding that he didn’t expect to sleep until “three or four” in the morning.

Shelton’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman — who plays for the U.S. women’s soccer team and is the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman — and Shelton’s father, Bryan, who is also his coach, applauded from the stands.

Shelton beat Sonego in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Sonego was going well this time, but Shelton broke to lead 2-1 in the fourth set and turned the match around.