The second week of the Indian Wells is about to kick off. We are in the round of 32 at the ATP 1000 Masters in the South Californian desert. Ben Shelton will square off with Karen Khachanov for the first time ever on the ATP tour. The winner of last year's edition, Carlos Alcaraz, will face Denis Shapovalov.
The Moscow-born Khachanov was a very hyped player when he first emerged on the ATP tour. The 28-year-old Khachanov turned pro in 2013. Karen’s highest ranking to date was at number eight back in 2019. At the moment, Khachanov is ranked at the 23rd position in the world. Perhaps Karen has not lived up to the high expectations that were set on him back in the day.
As a junior, he was a bit better than his two compatriots Medvedev and Rublev. Khachanov has worked with a bunch of different coaches throughout the years. Khachanov is currently working with Vedran Martic and Jose Clavet. Karen has reached two Grand Slam semis so far in his career.
Ben Shelton comes from the state of Georgia and is 22 years of age. The hard-hitting left-hander is coached by his father, Bryan Shelton. Shelton Sr was a pro on the tour back in the ‘90s. Bryan won the French Open in mixed doubles (1992). Ben has his huge serve as his best weapon on the court. Just as Khachanov was hyped at Ben’s current age, so is Shelton right now.
This season will be an important one for Shelton. He needs to make more progress and climb into the top 10 in the rankings. Shelton is currently ranked at the 12th position in the world. Ben has a huge potential on the court when he reached the semis at the Australian Open to start off the season (lost to Sinner).
Both Shelton and Khachanov are seeded at the event in the desert and had a bye in the round of 128. Shelton got the better of Navone in the round of 64. Ben won the match in two sets, 6-3, 6-2. Khachanov faced Mensik and won the match in three sets (3-6, 6-0, 6-3). Karen has won four of his last five matches in 2025, while Shelton has won eight and lost four at this point.
The defending champion at Indian Wells, Carlos Alcaraz, will square off with the Canadian, Shapovalov, in the round of 32. Carlos has been around for a while now but is still only 21 years of age and with four Grand Slam titles already to his name (two times Wimbledon and one French and US Open each). Carlos Alcaraz is one of a kind without a doubt.
So far in the 2025 season, Alcaraz has won one title (Rotterdam, defeated De Minaur in the final). He lost to Djokovic in the QF of the Australian Open. Carlos went out to Lehecka in the QF in Doha. So Indian Wells is only his fourth entry of the 2025 season for Carlitos. He took care of the Frenchman Halys in the round of 64 in two straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Alcaraz has a record of 12 wins and two losses in the 2025 season.
Denis has faced a lot of adversity over the past couple of years off the court, but he is back on the right track. Finally, to be honest. Just like Carlos, Denis has won one title in the 2025 season. Shapovalov won the ATP 500 in Dallas. Things started to turn around for Denis at the end of 2024 when he won the title at the ATP 250 in Belgrade. So far in 2025, Denis has won eleven and lost four matches. He had a first-round exit in Hong Kong, lost in the second round at the Adelaide International, and lost in the round of 64 at the Australian Open (Musetti). He won in Dallas and got to the semi in Acapulco (lost to Davidovich Fokina).
Denis is 25 years of age and ranked at the 28th position in the world. His highest-ever ranking was at the 10th spot back in September of 2020. Shapovalov and Alcaraz have only played each other on one occasion on the ATP tour to date. It was at the French Open back in 2022. Carlos won the round of 32 match in three straight sets. Alcaraz will attack Shapovalov’s one-handed backhand a lot.
