Left Field: Shelton Sets Up IW Blockbuster vs. Tien

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, March 6, 2026
Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX

INDIAN WELLS—Stadium walls seemed to be closing in on talented American seeds today.

Lefthanders Learner Tien and Ben Shelton didn’t shrink from the stress.

Both seeds navigated tough tiebreak tests to set up a blockbuster all-American third-round clash at the BNP Paribas Open.

Tien turned back Aussie Adam Walton 7-6(3), 7-6(8) to score his first career BNP Paribas Open victory—and capture his 50th career Tour-level win.

The 20-year-old SoCal native is the youngest American man to hit the 50-win milestone since a 19-year-old Andy Roddick in 2002.

“It means a lot. This is a tournament I really want to win, and just being an American, especially being from California, this is a very important tournament for me,” Tien said. “[It’s] a tournament I always want to perform well at. So, you know, obviously it’s early in the tournament. Still, just getting my first win here means a lot.”

Staring down massive-serving compatriots Reilly Opelka, Shelton looked ill at times today. Stashing his water bottle in the towel box, Shelton sometimes sipped water to rehydrate when going to the towel.

In the end, Shelton withstood 23 aces from the bearded Opelka and did not face a break point in a 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3 victory that was decided on a single service break.

Dallas champion Shelton scored his sixth straight win, including edging Taylor Fritz in the Dallas Open final, and improved to 9-0 vs American compatriots on hard courts since losing to Frances Tiafoe in the 2024 US Open third round.

“It was a tough match to get through today,” Shelton said. “Obviously, Reilly is a great player and makes things difficult. He played a great first set, played a great tiebreaker.

“I just had to fight back. [It’s about]  taking care of your serve, staying calm and hoping your moment of opportunity comes, which it did for me in the second and third sets. I think my serve kept me in it.”

Desire and discipline helped too.

When Opelka scraped out a drop shot then blocked a high volley for a 4-3 lead in the second-set tiebreaker, Shelton was up against it.

The world No. 8 answered reeling off four points in a row. Opelka netted a forehand off his back foot to cede the mini break at 5-4. Shelton showed defense flicking a low forehand for set points followed by a diagonal forehand winner to force a final set after 96 minutes.

Shelton scored the lone break of the day for a 4-2 lead before converting his third match point to seal a demanding two hour, 12-minute triumph and set up a showdown vs. Tien.

Toronto champion Shelton will face Tien for the first time on hard courts in a classic contrast pitting Shelton’s rocket serve against Tien’s razor sharp return.

In their lone prior meeting, Tien toppled Shelton 6-4, 7-6(2) on the Mallorca grass last summer. 

Both men showed grit when their best level eluded them today, solving the rare lefty vs. lefty match-up will be an essential element to their rematch.

Tien believes tough tests like today are the best preparations for the battles to come.

“I think I have done a pretty good job of kind of clawing my way through some of these matches where I don’t feel particularly 100% or, you know, playing at my best level, I would say,” Tien said. “I think I do a good job of, you know, of finding my way through these matches, problem-solving when I’m not playing my absolute best. 

“I think it’s really good for me, because I get to play through these matches where I could be down, could be losing, and I’m not playing phenomenal, but just problem-solving and trying to find a way through these matches I think is great for me in the long run.”