Ben Shelton’s Wimbledon run has been one hugely stretched out, with his first three matches all going the distance.
Given his youthful energy, he showcased more than enough grit and determination to claim victories in all three over five sets, and against Dennis Shapovalov, he dug particularly deep against a grass-court specialist to continue his run.
Grass has never really been a friend of Shelton’s, and his performances running up to Wimbledon exhibited this.
However, he has since detailed another issue which curtained his preparation for the event.
Ben Shelton got his Wimbledon preparation wrong
Speaking to Wimbledon’s official channels, ahead of his match with Jannik Sinner, it almost felt like Shelton had already admitted defeat.
After all, speaking about his preparation in the run-up to this Grand Slam, excuses were already being made, even before had stepped onto the court with the men’s world number one.
He noted: ‘I think that last year I didn’t really start to feel good on the grass until I got to Wimbledon. My goal this year was to play for an extra week and feel a little better a little earlier. That didn’t end up happening. It kind of got to the same spot where I didn’t feel great until I got here! There’s something about playing here.
‘I’m just trying to keep moving forward and keep improving. I think everyone tells me it’s a surface that suits your game, but that is never reality until it happens. There is so many things I have to continue to work on on this surface.
‘It’s tough because the season is so short and you want to figure out things really quickly but you don’t think you have any time. So what I am most excited about still being here, is that this is four more matches at least that I am playing on grass, 15 sets, so I am feeling more comfortable each match and that is all I need, just a little bit of time.’
Shelton also spoke about his fitness worries ahead of facing Sinner earlier today.
Ben Shelton could be a US Open contender
Whilst he has already impressed at Wimbledon by comfortably surpassing his best-ever finish at the event, the US Open will be the one he truly wants to win.
After all, as an energetic individual who seems to thrive off big noise from himself and the crowds, the New York support is certain to adhere to his play style.
He likes to give those in attendance something to cheer, and with an explosive, speedy philosophy, there will be plenty of that.
For others, this kind of hostile atmosphere can be a bit much.
However, Shelton is exactly the kind of player who will take this opportunity to put on a show, capitalising on the better players perhaps being distracted by such surroundings.
As such, both he, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and the rest will be hoping to end the men’s hoodoo which stretches back over two decades.
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