"To play them one day would be pretty cool, those are the two I grew up loving to watch" - Rising American star Ben Shelton picks Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as his dream opponents on Arthur Ashe Stadium

Rising American star Ben Shelton picked Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the two players he would love to face at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is the main stadium of the US Open.

Shelton, who made his tour-level debut in Atlanta last month, rose to fame in Cincinnati last week after claiming his first top 5 win against Casper Ruud en route to the third round of the Western & Southern Open.

In a video for the US Open, several tennis stars were asked to pick their "dream player" to face at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 19-year-old Shelton picked Nadal or Federer as he grew up watching them.

"It's gotta be Federer or Nadal, for sure. One of those two. I mean those are the two I grew up loving to watch. Fed's obviously the classy guy, the face of tennis so one of those guys to be able to play them one day would be pretty cool," he said.

The trio of Sebastian Korda, Marcos Giron and Steve Johnson also picked 41-year-old Federer, with Johnson stating that he wanted another crack at the Swiss having previously faced him at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

"It would definitely be Roger just because I hold him in such high regards. I have played him on center court of Australia and Wimbledon. So would love to kinda get another crack at him here," said Johnson.

Nick Kyrgios chose not to go with any of the Big 3, instead picking American Jack Sock.

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Rafael Nadal seeded second at 2022 US Open

Rafael Nadal has won the US Open four times.

Rafael Nadal will enter the 2022 US Open as the second seed following World No. 2 Alexander Zverev's withdrawal from the tournament. World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev is the top seed, meaning both players could meet in the final once again.

Nadal leads Medvedev 5-1 in the head-to-head. The pair met in the 2019 title clash in New York, where the Spaniard beat the Russian in a five-set epic.

The 36-year-old is unbeaten at the Grand Slams this year. He won the Australian Open and French Open titles, his 21st and 22nd career Major victories. At the Wimbledon Championships, he fought his way to the semifinals before an abdominal injury forced him to pull out of the tournament before his last four clash with Nick Kyrgios.

If he emerges victorious at Flushing Meadows this year, he will go level with Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Jimmy Connors for five US Open titles.