Fresh off his victory over Japan Open champion Arthur Fils, Roberto Carballes Baena seeks another shock victory against Ben Shelton in Monday's Shanghai Masters third-round match.
The experienced Spaniard is on a two-match winning streak at the Masters 1000 event and aims to get the better of an opponent 10 years his junior in their second meeting on the ATP Tour.
Match preview
© Imago
Fils was backed to build on a recent triumph in Tokyo to advance in Shanghai, but Carballes Baena had other ideas in Saturday's second-round match, defeating the Frenchman in two sets to claim a 7-6(4), 7-6(5) triumph.
The Spaniard has shown battling qualities to reach the third round in Shanghai, having come from a set down to defeat countryman Roberto Bautista Agut in his tournament-opening success and playing the big points to edge two tiebreaks against the Japan Open champion.
Although the 31-year-old enters Monday's encounter with Shelton as the underdog, he aims to make the most of his ongoing momentum to notch another result against a higher-ranked player.
While the world No. 54 might rank 38 places behind the effervescent young player, the Spaniard hopes to be as clinical on first-serve points won against the American having claimed 83% of points when he landed those in against Fils.
The world No. 16 and 14th seed in Shanghai hopes to avoid an early exit, as he at least looks to match last year's run when he advanced to the tournament's quarter-final before losing to countryman Sebastian Korda.
Shelton defeated Jannik Sinner in the fourth round 12 months back, and a rematch could be in the offing if the Italian gets the better of Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the early round-three match on Sunday.
The American's ambition to notch a first Masters 1000 success began with a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Denis Shapovalov, and he hopes to record another victory to continue a commendable Asian swing that saw him advance to the last eight in Japan before losing to Fils.
First, the 21-year-old must get the better of a player seemingly building up a head of steam in Shanghai after notching consecutive victories at an ATP 1000 event for the first time in 2024.
Tournament so far
Roberto Carballes Baena:
First round: vs. Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6 6-3 6-2
Second round: vs. Arthur Fils 7-6[4] 7-6[5]
Ben Shelton:
First round: Bye
Second round: vs. Denis Shapovalov 6-3 7-5
Head To Head
Auckland (2024) - Quarter-final: Shelton 6-4 6-3
Shelton secured a victory in two sets in his sole match-up with Carballes Baena at the start of the year in the lead-up to the first Major of 2024.
The American entered the ATP event having claimed 35 victories to the older player's 22, with both men tied on 22 losses this season
We say: Shelton to win in three sets
Even though Carballes Baena will back himself to claim a set due to his ongoing form in Shanghai, Shelton's quality should see him edge the experienced player to secure a possible rematch against Sinner.
