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Rising American star Ben Shelton has reflected on his early tennis career and how he was introduced to the sport.
The American is currently competing in the ongoing Asian tennis swing and is gearing up for his first round clash at the 2023 Japan Open. He will enter Tokyo on the back of a solid quarterfinal finish at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The youngster took a moment to share his thoughts on the beginnings of his tennis career and how he was initially introduced to the sport. Shelton stressed that although he didn't have a strong inclination towards tennis and found enjoyment in other sports, he eventually circled back to the sport.
“I think my first memory is being a really young kid and my parents started me out with a tennis racket and a balloon to practice tennis for the first time. I didn’t love tennis at the start and I didn’t want to be a part of it, I just wanted to play other sports. But I got back to it. I think the moment I realized that I wanted to a be a tennis player is probably the first professional match I won in Illinois,” Shelton said in ATP's latest tennis podcast.
The 21-year-old has experienced a breakthrough season on the men's tour this year. His season began in Melbourne, where he made it to the quarterfinals on his Australian Open debut. He defeated players such as Alexei Popyrin and J.J. Wolf, before eventually falling prey to Tommy Paul in the last eight.
Shelton's impressive performance continued with an appearance in the US Open semifinals, dispelling any doubts that his success in Melbourne was a stroke of luck. He reflected on his sensational start to the year, expressing newfound confidence to compete in major tournaments.
Being able to do five sets, last five sets, you know I’ve never done before in my career and I kinda proved to myself that I was fit enough to compete in Grand Slams and mentally tough enough to compete in front of big crowds. I think that’s something which helped me gain a lot of confidence this year,” he added.
Ben Shelton to square off against Taro Daniel in R1 of the Japan Open
Ben Shelton will make his debut at the Japan Open against Taro Daniel in the first round.
While Daniel secured his place in the main draw after winning his qualification matches, the American Shelton will enter Tokyo on the back of a solid quarterfinal run in Shanghai.
The American leads the head-to-head against Daniel 1-0. He defeated the Japanese player most recently at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships in a close five-set contest.
Ben Shelton will be looking to make the most of his current form and register a deep run at the Japan Open. On the other hand, Daniel will be determined to present a tough challenge and feel confident about his chances after securing back-to-back wins at the event.
The winner of this tie will take on Jordan Thompson in the second round.
