Ben Shelton admitted that he and the other American male players can’t say anything to Coco Gauff when she boasts about her Grand Slam since the US men are continuing to experience a dry spell. Shelton clinched his first ATP 1000 title at the 2025 Canadian Open.
Ben Shelton and the other top American players, like Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, have been aiming for a major title for seasons. Fritz even got as close to the title clinch at the 2024 US Open but fell to No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The 2024 Flushing Meadows semifinal was also historical, as it featured Fritz and Tiafoe in the first All-American semifinal since Andre Agassi and Robby Ginepri in 2005.
Starting fresh in 2025, Shelton reached the semifinal of the Australian Open, the fourth round at the Roland Garros, and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, losing his chances of winning a major in all three. However, he won his first ATP 1000 title in Canada, building up to make a mark at the US Open at full throttle.
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In a recent conversation with Prakash Amritraj, Shelton shared how the reigning French Open champion, Coco Gauff, has been remarking boastfully, and he doesn't have anything to respond with, as the men have been experiencing a drought since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003.
"I think that there's always big eyeballs on all of us Americans. That's always the headline and the story. And, I think that it's inevitable that we're going to get some of those Grand Slam titles. I don't know who it's going to be or when it's going to be. That's up for you guys to debate. But, the state that we're in right now, the number of young guys that we have coming through, the number of guys that we have at the top, it's overwhelming." (6:09 onwards)
He then laughed and said:
"And, we're just trying to catch up to the girls. Coco likes talking smack. And you know, I can't say anything back because they've had us for forever. I don't know, you know, if there was ever a time when the American men were doing better than the women. So we got something to chase."
Shelton will be partnered with doubles No. 1 Taylor Townsend in the US Open mixed doubles.
Ben Shelton once talked about sharpening his tennis mindset by playing top competitors in the later stages
Ben Shelton has been on top of his game since he had his career breakthrough in 2023, reaching the top 15 in his second year as a professional. The current World No. 6, one step away from winning a Grand Slam, recently opened up about his mindset of playing the best to improve himself on the court by recognizing his weaknesses. (via a press conference in Toronto)
"I think that the more opportunities that you have, the more times you put yourself in the position to be playing against the best players in the world, you're only going to get better.
"So, for me it's being in the later stages of the tournament and playing against guys who are playing their best tennis to see where I match up, and see where my weaknesses are and where I can get better."
Ben Shelton is coached by her father and former Florida Gators coach, Bryan Shelton. The 22-year-old has often expressed gratitude to his father for shaping his future.
