Ben Shelton is creating waves at the US Open up this year as he booked a semi-last showdown with Novak Djokovic.
The talented 20-yr-outdated has taken out two fellow People in america in Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe to make the past 4 of a Grand Slam for the initially time.
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Remarkably, it is just his second visual appeal at the US Open and he has currently dazzled admirers at Flushing Meadows.
Just previous calendar year, he was even now actively playing for Florida Gators in College, clinching the 2022 NCAA singles title.
Now he is showing on the largest stage of environment tennis and could become the first American guy to arrive at the US Open up final given that Andy Roddick in 2003.
There’s a great deal of comparisons to be designed involving Roddick and Shelton, not least his serve with the youngster firing down 149mph aces on a typical basis.
Versus Tiafoe, this sort of was his self esteem that he was hitting 140mph second serves, which is just about unheard of.
There is loads of hope that Shelton can be the USA’s next Pete Sampras, arguably their greatest at any time male player with 14 Grand Slam titles.
Shelton’s father was his mentor at Florida and gave up his task at the college to develop into Ben’s comprehensive-time tour mentor.
Bryan Shelton was a pro himself and spoke previously in 2023 about his son and gave some comparisons to Sampras.
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“I don’t forget Pete Sampras the initially time he arrived in excess of [to Wimbledon] and I truly bought to hit some balls with him and took him a minor little bit to get applied to but when he did, his activity was ideal for this courtroom and I think Ben has anything that he’ll bring to this floor that’ll make him truly definitely effective,” he said.
At just 20, he nevertheless has a lot of time to fulfil that likely he evidently has still he candidly admitted he was not even the most talented man or woman in his partnership.
Which is since Shelton is relationship United states athletics star Anna Corridor, who just lately picked up a silver medal at the Earth Championships.
She concluded second behind Staff GB’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the heptathlon, strengthening on her bronze medal from 2022.
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“Yeah, she’s greater than me. She got a bronze medal at the Planet Championships this yr and she absolutely retains me humble,” Shelton instructed the Tennis Channel in 2022.
“I’m not even the ideal athlete in my relationship. So, [that’s] a little something to function on.”
He added: “Yeah [we can push each other], it really is definitely actually awesome. We’re sort of heading by way of the exact same course of action ideal now – I’m turning professional vs . heading back to college or university and she essentially produced her conclusion previous 7 days to transform pro. So she obtained there just before me.”
The pair have been courting considering that 2021 and will no question both be eyeing upcoming summer’s Olympics in Paris where both equally will most likely contend for United states of america.
