Reason why the US must believe in Ben Shelton

Among the most interesting players of the men’s tour in future, there is definitely Ben Shelton. The young American ace has all the weapons that make a difference in men’s tennis, starting with a really excellent serve and forehand. Ben is very aggressive from the baseline and his accelerations are able to put in difficulty even top players, although he does not yet have the necessary consistency to be a factor in all tournaments of the season.

The American also has to improve on slower surfaces, where his style of play is less effective and opponents are able to exploit his weak points. However – if he continues to work hard and improve – Shelton could really be the third wheel in the fight between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

It’s no coincidence that Ben already defeated world number 1 Sinner in the Masters 1000 in Shanghai last year, playing a really devastating tennis after losing the first set. Some time ago, Alcaraz confided that Shelton has a power out of the ordinary and will definitely be one of the protagonists of the ATP tour in the next 10-15 years.

A great year

The American champion won his second title during the spring and made his entry into the Top 15 for the first time in his young career. Ben’s season is not over yet, as he will represent the US at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga later this month. In addition to him, there will also be the US Open finalists Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.

In a recent interview with Tennis Channel, former ATP star Greg Rusedski praised Shelton for his rise: “I think he has had a great year. His dad has done a great job with his whole team of getting a little bit more consistent in 2024. It’s just getting a little bit more solid on returns, keep improving that backhand side and just learning how to play the bigger moments and using that energy. He has that…