DailyExpertNews
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Emerging stars from the United States feature prominently in the Australian Open men’s roster. Three of the eight players who made it reached the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
According to the ATP, it is the first time since 2000 – when Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Chris Woodruff reached the last eight – that three American players have reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
The most surprising – and certainly least known – name of the three is 20-year-old Ben Shelton, who had never been outside the US before traveling to New Zealand and Australia in preparation for the first grand slam of the year.
Shelton, a great left-hander, is only playing in his second major, with his first grand slam appearance at the late 2022 US Open.
The 20-year-old currently holds a career-high ranking – number 89 in the world – and his performance so far in Australia means he’s fast approaching a top 50 finish.
“He’s a great server, he has an incredible forehand that allows him to really pressure his opponents and dictate the players,” Barbara Schett, a former professional tennis player and current commentator, told DailyExpertNews Sports.
“He’s a southpaw, which is a great advantage, and he has this lightness about him.”
Shelton certainly has the ideal background to help him succeed, as his father, Bryan Shelton, played professional tennis on the ATP Tour, winning two titles, reaching a career-high ranking of 55 in the world and reaching the mixed doubles final of the French Open.
However, Shelton Sr. – who has been a successful coach in the United States since his retirement – initially struggled to convince his son to play tennis, with Ben preferring American Football as a youngster.
Ben eventually decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and spent the early years of his career developing his game in college and on the ATP Challenger circuit.
“He has a great combination of also being intense on the pitch and then he has his father, Bryan Shelton, who was a Tour player for many, many years and it seems like he [Ben] has the right mindset and he knows exactly what he’s doing,” Schett said.
“It’s very refreshing to see someone so young and new.”
Shelton’s first big break on the ATP Tour came at the Cincinnati Masters in August 2022, where he defeated the world No. 1. 56 Lorenzo Sonego and then scored the first victory of his career over a top five player by defeating Casper Ruud in straight sets.
Shelton’s first taste of grand slam action came soon after, losing in the opening round of the US Open in a grueling five-setter against Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
However, he finished 2022 on the Challenger Tour with confidence, reaching four six-tournament finals, winning three of them to finish the year in the top 100.
Shelton had a mixed start to 2023, losing in qualifying at the Adelaide International before taking another victory over a top 50 opponent by beating Sebastian Baez in the first round in Auckland.
Despite the promise he has shown, few would have predicted the remarkable run Shelton has since enjoyed at the Australian Open.
“Absolutely a surprise,” he told reporters of his success. “I got on the plane with no expectations. I know it’s very hard to adjust to Australia from the United States just because of the jet lag, the time change and all that.
“It was my first time, never been outside the United States, I knew it was going to be a struggle. So I think maybe it helped me a little bit to not have that expectation or feeling like I have to perform, but just be able to go out there, be myself and play freely.
“I think that contributed a lot to my success.”
The Atlanta native earned his first grand slam win by defeating China’s Zhang Zhizhen in five sets, before beating Chile’s Nicolas Jarry and then Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in straight sets.
On Monday, Shelton came through another brutal five-setter against compatriot JJ Wolf – another up-and-coming American talent – to secure his place in the quarterfinals, where he will face another American in Tommy Paul.
Paul, who is an established top 50 player with an ATP title to his name, is ranked No. 28 in the world and will be Shelton’s toughest test to date at the Australian Open.
Paul will undoubtedly be the favorite to reach the semi-finals, but it will be hard to bet that Shelton will continue his dream run Down Under.
The 2023 season already looked like a promising year for American tennis, but Shelton’s emergence has only further cemented an exciting roster of young stars-to-be.