American tennis sensation Ben Shelton experienced an unexpected and delightful surprise during his match at the ATP Dallas Open. As Shelton battled it out on the court against Australian Aleksandar Vukic, an unidentified fan in the stands held up a sign that read, “Ben, nothing would be greater than a yes to prom.” The sign also featured a charming cartoon drawing of an alligator.
The 22-year-old Shelton, who has been making waves on the ATP Tour with his impressive performances, couldn’t help but smile as he autographed the signboard. The moment was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media, with the official Instagram page of the Dallas Open sharing the interaction and captioning it, “Tag us in the prom photos.”
Shelton later shared the post on his own Instagram stories, adding a loudly crying emoji to express his overwhelming emotions. The post garnered over 4,500 likes, with fans and followers expressing their delight at the sweet gesture.
Despite the unexpected proposal, Shelton remained focused and delivered a commanding performance, defeating Vukic in straight sets to advance to the Round of 16. In his post-match interview, Shelton praised his opponent and reflected on their previous encounters, highlighting the challenges and excitement of facing such a formidable player.
The young tennis star’s popularity continues to soar, with fans of all ages admiring his talent and charisma. Shelton’s journey on the ATP Tour has been nothing short of remarkable, with notable achievements including reaching the semifinals of both the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open.
Ben Shelton in 2025
Currently the world no.13 (career-high), Shelton played his last match on the 6th of February when he surrendered to world no.64 Jaume Antoni Munar Clar 6-2 7-6(3) in the 2nd round in Dallas (draw).
Currently, during this season the American has managed to achieve a compiled 6-3 win-loss record. Ben Shelton’s best result of the year was getting to the semifinal at the Australian Open.
He is also scheduled to play in Acapulco (Abierto Mexicano Telcel) on the 24th of February and Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open) on the 3rd of March.