– Federer’s discovery electrifies New York
Ben Shelton plays like a force of nature and spreads a good mood, now the 20-year-old challenges Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. The story of his rapid rise.
Posted today at 4:38 p.m
Victory at the US Open: Ben Shelton is the surprise of the tournament.
Photo: Charles Krupa (AP Photo)
Ben Shelton was always a bit late in his tennis career. Luckily he’s a fast learner. He was eleven when he quit American football and started playing tennis seriously. At the beginning of 2023, at the age of 20, he traveled abroad for a tournament for the first time – to the Australian Open, where he briefly stormed into the quarterfinals. For this opportunity, he first had to apply for a passport.
That spring he played his first professional tournament on clay, then made his debut on grass. The young American is constantly making new experiences. His next: In the semifinals of the US Open he will challenge Novak Djokovic on Friday.
“He’s like a Labrador Retriever. If you throw a ball, it will bounce after it. Over and over again.”
Bryan Shelton, Ben’s father and coach
“He’s the one who won 23 of these things,” he said when asked about his next opponent after beating Frances Tiafoe in the US Quarterfinals. “It can’t get much cooler.” His light-heartedness and his childlike joy in playing are fascinating. There’s almost always a smile on his face. His father Bryan, who coaches him, recently said: “He’s like a Labrador Retriever. If you throw a ball, it will bounce after it. Over and over again. He’s full of passion.”
From position 547 to top 20
Shelton’s example shows how fast tennis can go. As a freshman in 2021, he was number 5 on his college team, the Florida Gators. In 2022 he won the national collegiate singles championships. In June of that year he was still number 547 in the world, but in the fall he played his way into the top 100 with three Challenger titles in a row. He then decided to drop out of his studies at the University of Florida after two years to focus on being a professional. Thanks to his triumph at the US Open, he made it into the top 20 for the first time.
It is interesting: Roger Federer had the talented left-hander on his radar early on. Even before his breakthrough at the Australian Open, Team8, the management agency of Federer and Tony Godsick, signed him. And Federer recommended Shelton On when the Swiss sporting goods manufacturer expanded into tennis this spring. “We have a lively exchange with Roger regarding his assessment of players,” says co-CEO Marc Maurer. “He has a very clear opinion.” Federer has been a co-owner of On since November 2021.
At On you rub your hands
At the company headquarters in Zurich, people are rubbing their hands at Shelton’s flight. Especially since, unlike Iga Swiatek, he already plays with On shoes. With his sleeveless shirt, his biceps and his left-handed game, he is more reminiscent of Rafael Nadal than Federer. He comes like a force of nature, setting a record at the US Open with a 240 km/h serve. He had to slow him down, not drive him, says his father. Ben Shelton attributes his rapid rise largely to the fact that he’s matured physically over the past two years. “It changed my whole game.”
A biceps like Rafael Nadal: Ben Shelton impresses with his strength and athleticism.
Photo: Will Oliver (EPA)
Father Bryan also played on the tour, finished 55th and reached the round of 16 as a qualifier at Wimbledon in 1994. Among other things, with a victory over Michael Stich. During his teenage years, he used to hit balls with his son at 6:45 a.m. before Ben went to school. At the University of Florida he was now the coach of the college team in which his son played. He only left that job in June to travel the tennis world with Ben when he felt Ben was serious.
Father-son relationships in tennis harbor potential for conflict, as can be seen with Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek can’t break away from his father Apostolos, although they often yell at each other during matches. He also has to let off steam sometimes, says Ben. But a good vibe in his box is important to him. If they ever had a fight, apologize within an hour afterwards. Nobody plays the offended liverwurst.
“Sometimes you have to lose to learn. I’ve grown extremely as a person in the last eight months.”
Ben Shelton
And it’s not like Ben and Bryan have had nothing but success in the past few months. Since the Australian Open, he has only won seven matches in 18 ATP tournaments. Before he shines again in New York on the biggest stage. He says: «Sometimes you have to lose in order to learn. I’ve grown tremendously as a person over the past eight months. With all the experiences I had, the many places I traveled, the new records I played on. It all helped me to become the player I am now.”
For a 20-year-old, Ben Shelton sounds amazingly reflected. He recently said in a court interview in New York: “I learned that I’m not just a tennis player who puts on a show on the court and wins matches. The boys also look at how I meet other people. I hope many also develop a passion for tennis when they see me play.” In any case, his good mood is contagious.
More about the US OpenSimon Graf is Deputy Head of the sports department and has been reporting on ice hockey and tennis for over 20 years. He studied history and German at the University of Zurich and wrote several sports books. His current one: «Inspiration Federer».More info@SimonGraf1
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2023-09-07 18:21:57
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