Ben Shelton Battles Andrey Rublev: Paris Masters 2025 Preview and Prediction
As the 2025 Paris Masters continues, a key matchup in the third round features fifth-seeded Ben Shelton facing No. 12 seed Andrey Rublev. This match promises to be a captivating contest between two talented players.
Match Overview: Ben Shelton vs. Andrey Rublev
The match is scheduled for October 30, 2025, at the Paris La Défense Arena, located in Paris, France. This event is part of the prestigious Masters 1000 series and will be played on indoor hard courts.
- Match Date: October 30, 2025
- Tournament: Paris Masters 2025
- Round: Third Round (Round of 16)
- Venue: Paris La Défense Arena, Paris, France
- Surface: Indoor Hard Court
- Live Telecast: Available on Tennis Channel, TSN, and Sky Sports
Players’ Recent Performances
Ben Shelton has faced challenges in his recent matches. He experienced early exits at both the Shanghai and Basel tournaments. However, he secured his place in the third round at the Paris Masters with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
On the other hand, Andrey Rublev had been struggling as well, with a five-match losing streak prior to arriving in Paris. He ended this streak by defeating British qualifier Jacob Fearnley 6-1, 6-4 in the first round, followed by another solid win against Learner Tien with a score of 6-4, 6-4.
Head-to-Head Record
The pair has met once before, with Shelton leading the head-to-head record 1-0. Their previous encounter took place at Basel last year, where Shelton emerged victorious with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-4.
Statistical Breakdown
Both players have showcased impressive serving stats in the tournament so far. In his last match, Shelton won an outstanding 86% of his first-serve points and over 70% of his second-serve points. He faced only one break point and managed to save it.
Conversely, Rublev won 81% of his first serves, but struggled with his second serves, winning just 49%. He has been under pressure, facing 12 break points and successfully saving 10. In terms of return game, Rublev converted eight out of 17 break points during his matches.
Current Season Performance
This year on hard courts, Shelton holds a record of 26 wins and 11 losses. He claimed a Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open and reached the semifinals at the Australian Open. Shelton also demonstrated resilience, making a significant comeback after an injury in the U.S. Open.
Rublev has a 22-16 record on hard courts for 2025, winning the title in Doha and making semifinal appearances in Montpellier and Los Cabos. He is a former semifinalist at the Paris Masters, having reached the last four in 2023.
Match Prediction
Given their consistent performances, Shelton’s high serve numbers are likely to be advantageous against Rublev. For Rublev to succeed, he will need to adopt an aggressive return strategy and coax Shelton into net play. Based on current form, Shelton is favored to win this encounter, possibly in a tightly contested three-set match.
Prediction: Ben Shelton to win in three sets.
