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Ben Shelton has been one of the best newcomers in the U.S. Open. The 20 year old player turned pro last year, and has been using the U.S. Open stage to build a name for himself., beating Frances Tiafoe in an incredible upset and advancing to the semifinals.
Here’s what you should know about him:
He comes from a tennis family
Shelton was born in Atlanta, and is the son of Bryan Shelton, a coach for the Florida Gators men’s tennis team. His mother, Lisa Witsken Shelton, was a highly ranked junior tennis player, while his sister, Emma, played college tennis in Florida.
Shelton kicked off his career in athletics with an interest in football, which later morphed into his love of tennis.
He’s the youngest American male to reach a U.S. Open semifinal
Shelton has had an impressive U.S. Open run. Yesterday, he beat Frances Tiafoe, another American player, ranked #10 in the world. Shelton became the youngest American player to qualify for a semifinal since 1992, when Michael Chang did the same.
“I feel like I left it all out here tonight. Emotional battle,” said Shelton after the match. “Thanks to all you guys for staying so late. Hell of an atmosphere, and thanks for pushing me over the line.”
He’s a ‘Barbie’ fan
Shelton’s been working with the brand On, who dressed him up in a “Barbie” inspired outfit. He shared a look of it on Instagram, writing, “New look @on Better not see no Barbie comments.” He spoke about his post in an interview with GQ. “I am loving the pink. I definitely like to be different with what I wear,” he said.
What’s next
Shelton’s next appearance might be the biggest one of his career. This Friday, he’s playing Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinal, the number two tennis player in the world. Thanks to his performance on the U.S. Open, Shelton has entered the top 20 world rankings for the first time.
“It doesn’t get much better than that,” he said of Djokovic. “It’s been tough the last two matches. I’ve been playing Americans, but hopefully you guys bring it for me two nights from now.”