Ben Shelton is the sensation of the US Open. The twenty-year-old American will play against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals tonight. His compatriots look forward to it, rubbing their hands.
“Come on… This was unheard of.”
Frances Tiafoe struggles for words when asked about a moment at the end of the third set in the US Open quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton on Tuesday night. The American has just lost to his twenty-year-old compatriot, but that one point in particular sticks with him.
Tiafoe serves with a 7-6 lead in the tiebreak and gets a scorching return. More than 133 kilometers per hour, right in the corner. Way set point. Mouths drop at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “An incredible ball from that position,” says Tiafoe.
Shelton is on a sensational rise. Last year he was 570th in the world rankings. In January, he took a look beyond the country’s borders for the first time in his life and reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open. These weeks in New York, the 1.93 meter long tennis phenomenon appears to be here to stay. He is now 43rd in the world ranking and is rising like a comet.
Ben Shelton hit 2 consecutive double faults when he had set point against Frances Tiafoe.
Set point down against Frances, he comes up with this.
In his first ever US Open quarterfinal, Big Ben is making this a show. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/aYXemfnQgV
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 6, 2023
Son of former pro and talent for American football
Shelton doesn’t get his talent from a stranger. Father Bryan was a professional and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1994. He is now the coach of his son, who initially needed some guidance. Shelton junior had almost become an American football player. His left arm is a long-range weapon, and with that kind of specialty you can become a greatness in that sport.
When the American teenager was at a crossroads – quarterback or tennis player – his father was the deciding factor. “I don’t know if my mom could have handled it if I’d been tackled any longer in American football,” Shelton explains. “It was also a huge advantage that my dad had experience as a professional and was active as a coach. I could only benefit from that.”
Father and son got to work and created a tennis machine. A powerhouse with hard servings and a deadly forehand. There is still some work to be done – his offensive game is teeming with sloppiness – but it is clear that tennis is entering a new era with Shelton and 20-year-old world ranking leader Carlos Alcaraz.
“He loves everything that happens above his head,” father Shelton describes his son’s playing style. “Whether it’s a serve or a smash. It’s all very easy for him.”
Ben Shelton knows how to play the crowd. Photo: Getty Images
Mischievous look and curly head to fall in love with
Not only does Shelton have dynamite in his left arm, he turns out to be a pure crowd player. The talent roguely scours the stands after crucial points, whips up the fans with original cheering ways and does all this from under a cheerful bunch of curls. The American press is already madly in love with the new tennis hero.
After his win over Tiafoe, Shelton was asked if he was familiar with the reputation of his next opponent, Novak Djokovic. “Yes, I think I know that one,” said the young American with a sense of understatement. “Hasn’t he won something like 23 of these kind of tournaments?”
Shelton also explained the much-discussed rocket return, eliminating Tiafoe’s set point. “Sometimes you have to turn off your brain, close your eyes and ram.”
Close your eyes and ram. Flushing Meadows is going to sit down tonight. The chances are small that Shelton can already handle the almost unbeatable Djokovic, but the tennis world is one tastemaker richer anyway.
Clash in New York
Shelton and Djokovic will meet tonight at 9 p.m. (Dutch time) in the semifinals of the US Open. The winner will compete against the winner of the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.
2023-09-08 03:22:13
#sensational #advance #tennis #cannon #Close #eyes #ram #NU.nl
