Ben Shelton, a rising tennis player from the United States, has admitted that while he enjoys rousing the audience behind him, he does not intend to follow Nick Kyrgios or Gael Monfils in terms of showmanship.
Ben Shelton enjoyed his sweet payback on Sunday at the US Open, where the 20-year-old defeated fellow countryman Tommy Paul to become the country’s youngest quarterfinalist in more than 20 years.
Shelton also claimed that despite having different on-court personalities from 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, he has always admired the Spaniard.
The 20-year-old claimed that he was committed to improving his skill and competing at the top level rather than being a “showy guy” who does trick shots.
Shelton discussed it during a conversation: “Nick Kyrgios or Gael Monfils are not references for me in this respect. I don’t think I am trying to be a showman. I’m just trying to compete at the highest level, whatever that may be. I’m not out there to try to be this ‘showy guy’ who is doing trick shots.”
He further added: “I’m really focused on my tennis and trying to compete at the highest level. So I would say the guy in that aspect that I looked up to was Rafael Nadal. Even though we have different ways of expressing ourselves on court.”
Shelton at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2023
At the moment ranked no.
47, the American has managed to achieve a compiled 18-22 win-loss record in 2023. Ben is competing at the U.S. Open where he beat the world no.66 Pedro Cachin 1-6 6-3 6-2 6-4, the world no.81 Dominic Thiem 7-61 1-0 ret., the world no.77 Aslan Karatsev 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-0 and the world no.14 Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4.Ben Shelton will compete against the world no.10 Frances Tiafoe in the quarter. In the past, they have never competed against each other up to now on the main tour.
Nick Kyrgios in 2023
At the moment ranked no.134, the Australian played his last match on the 13th of June when he was defeated by world no.86 Yibing Wu 7-5 6-3 in the 1st round in Stuttgart (draw).
This season Kyrgios achieved a 0-1 match record.
Ben Shelton and Nick Kyrgios have never faced off.
Gael Monfils in 2023
Now the world no.162, Gael played his last match on the 31st of August when he lost to world no.8 Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-1 in the 2nd round in the U.S. Open (draw).
Currently, during this year Gael has a 10-12 record.