10 MINUTES AGO: In an emotional moment after his victory at the Madrid Open, American tennis player Ben Shelton not only celebrated his triumph, but also showed great sportsmanship by consoling his rival, Argentine Mariano Navone. Shelton, who won 4-6, 7-6(5) and 6-3 in a thrilling match that had the stands in full swing, dedicated some moving words to the young 24-year-old tennis player.
“I’m sorry, you’re amazing,” were the four words Shelton shared with Navone at the end of the match, according to witnesses at the Caja Mágica. These words, full of respect and admiration, brought Navone to tears, visibly moved by his opponent’s recognition. The crowd, which had embraced the Argentinian as one of their own, was also moved by the scene, bursting into applause for both players.
Shelton, ranked 13th in the ATP rankings, didn’t stop there. In the post-match interview, the 22-year-old American praised Navone’s talent and potential on the tour. “Mariano is a very promising tennis player; he has a bright future ahead of him. I know how hard he works and how much he loves this sport. I can only tell him to keep going, to not give up, because he has everything to go very far,” said Shelton, who also appealed to fans: “Please continue supporting him and me. We both want to do our best and make this sport even greater.”
Navone, for his part, thanked his opponent for his gesture despite the defeat. “It’s an honor to play against Ben and hear his words. It motivates me to keep improving,” said the Argentine, who despite the elimination showed great performance in Madrid, especially on clay, his favorite surface. This match marked the third meeting between the two, with Shelton maintaining a 3-0 record against Navone, including previous victories at Tokyo 2024 and Indian Wells 2025.
The match was a true tennis spectacle, with Navone winning the first set 6-4 and Shelton coming back in a thrilling second set that went to a tiebreak. In the third set, the American showed his mastery and closed out the match, advancing to the next round where he will face Jakub Mensik. However, beyond the result, what will remain in the memories of fans is the mutual respect and camaraderie between these two world tennis talents.
