"My tennis IQ & tennis mind is getting better" - Ben Shelton sets his mind on Grand Slam success after crossing off major milestone ahead of US Open

Ben Shelton attributed the growth of two aspects of his game to his recent success. The American nabbed his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto earlier on Thursday, August 7, in scintillating fashion and is now one of the favorites for the US Open title.

Shelton had endured a quiet few months on the main tour since breaking into the men's top 10 ATP rankings for the first time in June this year. Nonetheless, that didn't deter the 22-year-old from going all the way at the Canadian Open, where he beat the likes of Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, and Karen Khachanov to win the biggest title of his young career.

Following his triumph in Toronto, Ben Shelton spoke to the media about the possibility of becoming the first American male player since Andy Roddick to secure a Major title. The four-time ATP singles titlist believed that while being consistent with results every week was the key to winning a Major, he was also looking to improve upon his on-court weaknesses to build an edge over his top peers during matches that matter the most.

"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," Ben Shelton said during his post-match press conference in Toronto later on Thursday, via ASAP Sports.

"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."

The 2025 Canadian Open champion also noted that his "tennis IQ" and "tennis mind" must continue their recent upward curve to ensure that he regularly challenges for the big titles.

"I think that my tennis IQ and my tennis mind is something that is getting better, and something that needs to continue to get better," he added.

During his press conference, Ben Shelton also spoke about his newfound habit of watching videos of his opponents and how it has supplemented his post-match routine.

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Ben Shelton on his opponents' on-court exploits ahead of matches: Something that I didn't do as much in the past"

Ben Shelton looks on

By his own admission, Ben Shelton didn't initially buy into the idea of watching his opponents' matches ahead of a marquee clash. However, the 22-year-old has made it a part of his routine lately, and it has worked wonders for the young American as far as his title-winning prospects are concerned.

"I think that watching film is a huge piece for me, something that I didn't do as much in the past, and as of late it's been kind of an every-match thing for me, at least watching one match or one set start to finish on the guy I'm playing," he said, via the aforementioned source.

At his career-high ATP ranking of six, Shelton is assured of a top-eight seeding at the upcoming US Open. He will be eager to do well at the New York Slam, which was the site of his maiden Major semifinals run in 2023.