Ben Shelton is "close to bringing it all together", as Jannik Sinner now on a 22-set streak in H2H

Ben Shelton may not have produced the outcome he was looking for in his Australian Open quarterfinal with Jannik Sinner, but the left-hander says he’s “close to bringing it all together” against the best his sport has to offer across the net.

The No. 8 seed was defeated by the two-time reigning champion, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, in two hours and 25 minutes Wednesday evening on Rod Laver Arena. The result saw Shelton drop his ninth straight meeting with the world No. 2 after winning their inaugural encounter at the 2023 Shanghai Rolex Masters.

“I'm getting better and better and becoming a lot less limited. I think this game takes time, and the results don't always come when you want them,” he told press.

Sinner has run off 22 consecutive sets during that stretch, which includes four meetings on the Grand Slam stage. Shelton has faith that everything will fall into place once getting over the hump, with better starts likely paving the way to turning the tables in the runaway matchup.

“Certainly not discouraged from a performance like this. I want to see myself get out in front and see what I can do from there in a match rather than falling behind just because I know how I feel when I get out in front at slams,” he said.

“I feel like I'm untouchable. I guarantee the other guys at the top feel the exact same.”

I'm getting to the point now where I'm getting stopped up by the toughest challenge in the game for the most part, and I do think that I'm close to bringing it all together.

A two-time major semifinalist, Shelton will be replaced by Taylor Fritz as the top-ranked American when Monday’s rankings are updated. The 23-year-old is scheduled to make his next appearance on tour at the Nexo Dallas Open, which begins February 9.

Sinner, the owner of 19 successive Australian Open wins, continues his march towards a three-peat against 10-time champion Novak Djokovic.