Ben Shelton defeated Dominic Thiem 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 at the US Open on hard court in the first round on 26 August 2024, confirming his status as the heavy pre-match favourite with odds of 1.07 to Thiem's 12.22. The American's dominant performance saw him control proceedings throughout, breaking serve multiple times as Thiem struggled to generate the form required against a player in ascending trajectory. The Austrian, a former Grand Slam finalist, offered limited resistance in what proved a one-sided affair. Shelton's convincing progression suggests strong momentum heading into the second round, whilst Thiem's early exit compounds concerns about his competitive standing at the elite level.