ATP Masters Cincinnati: Ben Shelton continues to cause a sensation
Ben Shelton causes a stir at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati. In the round of 16, the 19-year-old wildcard holder will face Cameron Norrie .
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Aug 18, 2022, 02:31 pm
It's once again one of those stories that only sport can write: 19-year-old Ben Shelton is already in the round of 16 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati after victories over Lorenzo Sonego and Casper Ruud. The American was only able to start in Ohio thanks to a wildcard.
No wonder, since Shelton is currently only 229th in the world rankings. But his story gets even crazier if you take a look at the recent past: The teenager got his first ATP point on June 30, 2021, just over four weeks later he won his first futures tournament. Shelton's strong development culminated in winning the college championship in the USA at the end of May 2022, two months later he had his first match success on the ATP tour in Altanta.
Shelton doesn't give Ruud a chance
In Cincinnati, Shelton has now finally appeared on the radar of the world public. The left-hander needed just 68 minutes for the 6: 3 and 6: 3 win against Ruud. It felt anything but normal for him to be on the pitch against an absolutely world-class man, but the tension eased from the second sentence: "I was just trying to play my game and implement my plan. The more often I'm in When I'm in such situations, it's easier for me to lower my heart rate and calm down on the pitch."
His father should also ensure that Shelton finds himself in these situations more often in the course of his career. Because the 19-year-old is currently being trained by Bryan Shelton - after all, former number 55 in the world. "I know he has two wins against top five players and I only have one. He's better than me in this category," joked the youngster after defeating Ruud.
Shelton has something ahead of his father
For all the fun, Shelton seriously appreciates his father's merits: "It's fun to talk about it (about tennis, ed.) It's cool that I have a former professional who is my dad that I look up to can if I go through these things." The 19-year-old already has one advantage over his father: reaching the round of 16 in Cincinnati.
It doesn't have to be the end for the American in Ohio: On Thursday, Shelton will meet British Cameron Norrie in the round of 16. It's the next opportunity to continue making a splash.