Wimbledon 2025 saw a dramatic interruption in Ben Shelton’s match against Rinky Hijikata on Thursday night. The American player was four points from closing out the set when officials told him to stop playing due to poor light conditions.
Shelton had requested only one minute to finish his service, but officials deemed it too late to continue. The decision was made despite Shelton and Hijakata’s mutual desire to pause play, citing slippery court surfaces and dwindling daylight.
The incident echoes a similar scenario from the 2024 tournament, where Leylah Fernandez and Caroline Wozniacki resumed their match under the roof of No. 1 Court after a halt due to light conditions.
Shelton will now face Márton Fucsovics in the fourth round, another match interrupted overnight. The unlucky loser won his previous match against Gaël Monfils in five sets on Friday.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6472417/2025/07/04/ben-shelton-wimbledon-match-suspended-darkness