Ben Shelton is hoping to cap a very solid year by being crowned a Grand Slam champion for the very first time.
Shelton played in the US Open mixed doubles event last week and that tournament put a smile on his face as he looked in relaxed spirits.
Shelton believes the US Open organisers have given him a boost this year, with the youngster making light work of Ignacio Buse in round one at Flushing Meadows.
The 22-year-old played great to reach the quarterfinal at Wimbledon and only came unstuck against a brilliant Jannik Sinner, who would win the title.
Shelton is currently the world number six, and to be sitting there at his age means he’s made a great start to his career, with the best days yet to come for the American.
Ben Shelton told where he can learn from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz and Sinner are far and away the two best players in men’s tennis at the moment, with the two juggernauts sharing the last seven major titles between them.
Together, they’re setting the standard for the sport and showing that the show will go on when Novak Djokovic follows Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal into retirement.
Bryan Shelton coaches his son Ben and he’s picked out one attribute that he can grasp from Sinner and Alcaraz who he feels are both excelling in one area.
He told the Tennis Insider Club podcast: “For Ben, it’s learning how to anticipate on the court. I feel like the best players in the world understand where to position themselves at all times. They see what’s going to come before it happens.
“They’re already moving to the next position, you know, when they make a certain type of shot, the most likely place the ball will be after that and they’re in the position to make that play.
“They read it and they see it. I think Alcaraz and Sinner, and these guys as well, at the top, they see the game, they’re very fast and they move very well, but they also anticipate extremely well.”
Ben Shelton stats vs Ignacio Buse
It was far from a textbook Shelton performance as he nudged Buse aside, but it’s all about getting the victories in the opening rounds of competition.
Shelton has enjoyed a strong year and given that he’s been to the last four of the US Open before, he will fancy a strong run again at this year’s event.
| Ben Shelton stats vs Ignacio Buse | Total |
| Aces | 5 |
| Double Faults | 3 |
| Break Points | 4/13 |
| Points Won | 100 |
There is something quite nice about Shelton being coached by his dad and it would be quite something if he could win a major title with his old man in his corner.
At 22, it’s scary to think what Shelton might achieve in the game of tennis and with his big-serving prowess likely to continue getting better in the coming years, surely the big titles beckon for the American at some point.
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