World No. 65 Takes Down Top 10: Altmaier’s Tactical Masterclass Against Shelton in Hamburg
It was on the brink of becoming a routine victory. At 5-4 up in the second set, World No. 6 Ben Shelton was just two points away from closing out his Round of 16 match at the Hamburg European Open. The American’s 230 km/h serve had fired down 12 aces, and the Centre Court at Rothenbaum was starting to fall quiet. Then, the 65th-ranked German on the other side of the net decided it wasn't over yet. In a stunning display of resilience, Daniel Altmaier clawed his way back to claim a famous 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory.