What they're saying about former Florida Gators star Ben Shelton
When Ben Shelton, the former Florida Gators star, defeated No. 10-seed Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night in New York, he became the talk of the sport.
Shelton has game. He has personality.
And, he has the attention of tennis fans across the globe right now.
Next up for Shelton: 23-time major champion Novak Djokovic, arguably the greatest player ever.
Here’s what they’re saying around the world about Ben Shelton ….
The Gators great has impressed a former major champion
-“He’s phenomenal. He was already phenomenal when we discovered him at this level in Melbourne. I have to be honest, it’s been very tough for him in the weeks after. He has waited for the US Open to show himself again, and he’s chosen his moment well. We love his spectacular tennis. He exudes freshness and charisma. We’ve often talked about Carlos Alcaraz, about the notion of pleasure, and now he [Shelton] is enjoying it. We’re not going to compare them, but to be able to offer that to the American public is exceptional. It’s crazy to see him in the semifinals.” — Justine Henin, former World No. 1
-“The wildest ride in tennis is a 20-year-old American from Atlanta via Gainesville, Florida, with a booming serve, a flair for showmanship and a ravenous appetite for risk.” — Dan Wolken, USA Today.
-“Ben Shelton is 20 years old, still new to this whole professional tennis thing. He is equipped with a tremendously good serve, but don’t think he can’t come through in other ways when it matters the most.” — ESPN
-“Ben Shelton, the 20-year-old American with the blazing-fast serve, stormed into the U.S. Open semifinals with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 win over fellow American Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday, officially cementing him as the latest new rising star in U.S. tennis.” — The Athletic
The youth of Ben Shelton has people excited about his future
-“Beforehand, I wrote that Shelton might dominate with his serve, but it was the older and higher-ranked Tiafoe who had the more nuanced and consistent baseline game. Not so on Tuesday. Shelton hit 50 winners, 16 more than Tiafoe, and committed just one more unforced error, 34 to 33. Shelton found a balance between pace, spin, and control from the ground that has eluded him for much of this season.
He drove his two-handed backhand flat and deep, and he whipped and hooked his forehand into the corners with a buzzing topspin that made the ball dive and curl. It was clear from the start that Shelton was hitting a heavier ball, and he used it handcuff Tiafoe and at times outright overpower him. Shelton was also just as deft with his touch shots, and equally effective as Tiafoe at net.” — Steve Tignor, Tennis.com
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The tennis world is buzzing about Ben Shelton
-“Barring an injury or some other calamity, Shelton is likely to have plenty of moments like the one that happened next, with Tiafoe a point away from taking a two-sets-to-one lead. There is a specific sound that comes off Shelton’s racket when he lays into a serve or a stroke like only he and Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 1, can these days. It’s nothing like the familiar thwop of strings hitting a felt ball, but more like a sledgehammer nailing a spike into a railroad tie. Tiafoe’s serve was plenty good. Shelton’s forehand return blasted onto the line inches from the corner. Tiafoe barely moved for it.” — Matthew Futterman, New York Times
-“Shelton, the 2022 NCAA men’s singles champion, came out strong against Tiafoe, challenging the 25-year-old to return not just his sizzling forehands, but also his enormous serves. Tiafoe isn’t usually a slow starter, but it appeared he was caught flat-footed by Shelton’s energy and emphasis.” — Liz Roscher, Yahoo! Sports
It’s not just his game … it’s his flare on the court
-“He smiled, he snarled, he shouted, he flexed, he fist-pumped. He attacked, he defended, he covered the court tirelessly. At the end of a grueling third set, he pointed to his ear, urging the crowd to cheer on what they were witnessing. At the end of the decisive fourth, he put his hands on his hips, mimicked picking up a phone and then slammed it down.
Case closed.
He can’t even drink yet, legally, but on this night, he was the toast of New York. Friday, he’ll try to do it again with a US Open final berth on the line, against arguably the greatest player ever.
Ben Shelton, full of all the verve — but seemingly none of the nerves — of any 20-year-old, is into the US Open semifinal after an enthralling 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 win over Frances Tiafoe.” — Zachary Pereles, CBS
