Ben Shelton is having an impressive year on the ATP Tour.
The rising American star reached his second Grand Slam semi-final in January, defeating Lorenzo Sonego in the Australian Open quarterfinals. However, he fell short against Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, losing in straight sets (6-7, 2-6, 2-6).
Since then, Shelton has posted several notable performances, including reaching the quarterfinals in Miami, making it to the final in Munich on clay, and the semi-finals at the Stuttgart Open on grass.
Fitzgerald Calls Shelton’s Serve an ‘Unfair Advantage’
After his success in Stuttgart, Shelton entered the ATP top ten for the first time. Former doubles world number one John Fitzgerald discussed why opponents find Shelton challenging to play against. He mentioned on the Australian Open TV podcast that Shelton’s effective serve, especially as a left-hander, gives him a considerable advantage.
Fitzgerald remarked, “When you serve that well, no one wants to play you. Left-handers create a tough challenge for many right-handers.” He described Shelton as a “throwback” player, whose style differs from many current players on tour. Fitzgerald noted, “His playing style resembles that of players from 10 to 15 years ago, which can be beneficial in today’s game.”
Wimbledon Setback for Shelton at Queen’s
Entering the Queen’s Club Championships with confidence after his Stuttgart run, Shelton faced an unexpected defeat against French player Arthur Rinderknech. He lost in straight sets (6-7, 6-7), but he is expected to maintain his top-ten ranking unless Andrey Rublev performs exceptionally well at the Halle Open.
As Shelton prepares for Wimbledon later this month, he aims to improve upon his past performances, having yet to reach the quarterfinals in his previous visits. His current record stands at 4-2 at this prestigious tournament.
