Ben Shelton, in a pre-tournament press conference before the 2024 US Open, expressed his excitement for the tournament and reflected on the challenges of five-set matches in Grand Slam events. He discussed the impact of these experiences on his confidence and preference for the longer format.
Shelton also praised the progress of American men’s tennis, specifically young players like Opelka , Tommy Paul, and Taylor Fritz. He remained focused on the everyday work and small improvements, despite the absence of a grand slam title for the US. Shelton also reflected on the lessons learned from the previous year’s tournament, including the importance of recovering from tough matches, adapting to various court conditions, and handling unexpected situations like rain delays.
He expressed his excitement about facing a former champion in the first round, acknowledging the unique challenge and hype that comes with playing someone who has held the trophy at the US Open. Shelton also had no comment on the growing popularity of pickleball and acknowledged the difficulty of making a decision between the Olympics and the US Open.
Ben Shelton in 2024
At the moment ranked no.13 (career-high), Ben played his last match on the 17th of August when he capitulated to world no.4 Alexander Zverev 3-6 7-6(3) 7-5 in the quarter in Cincinnati (draw).
Currently, during this year Shelton has managed to achieve a 30-19 match record. This year, the American lifted the trophy in Houston.