As if winning 6-0, 6-2 against Tomas Machac wasn’t intimidating enough, Ben Shelton further warned his competition by sharing NBA star Anthony Edwards’ quote. The American’s latest social media activity will have all players on the ATP Tour on their toes. Alexander Bublik, who is next playing Shelton in the Round of 32 at the Madrid Open 2024, could witness a dip in his morale after taking a look at his upcoming opponent’s Instagram story.
Ben Shelton is an avid NBA enthusiast. During his downtime, the World No.15 is often seen following the basketball league. Despite being in the midst of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, the former Florida Gator has managed to catch the ongoing NBA playoff. Apart from being in awe of Anthony Edwards’ performance, Shelton also agreed with the Minnesota Timberwolves star’s approach.
After Edwards led the Wolves to a 3-0 series lead against the Kevin Durant-led Phoenix Suns, the 22-year-old spoke about the mentality that he was going to approach the remainder of the postseason.
“I just want to kill everything in front of me, man,” Edwards said.
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By resharing the post on his Instagram story a day before the Round of 32 matchup at the Madrid Open 2024, Ben Shelton has revealed to have the same killer mindset for the remainder of the clay court season.
Ben Shelton pic.twitter.com/6HEhn3LM9n
— Wide World of Tennis (@tennisfan_dkr) April 29, 2024
Ben Shelton and Anthony Edwards Have Had Immense Success in April
Apart from approaching their respective tournaments with the same mentality, Ben Shelton and Anthony Edwards have found success in April.
Anthony Edwards finished the NBA’s regular season with 24.4 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. His contributions were vital for the Minnesota side to record their best campaign over the last two decades – 2nd seed in the Western Conference. Additionally, Ant-Man has also erupted for 28 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists (per ESPN), leading his side to a 3-0 lead against the Phoenix Suns.
On the other hand, Ben Shelton won his first clay court title during the first week of April 2024. Defeating the likes of Zizou Berges, Brandon Nakashima, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Frances Tiafoe, Shelton lifted the title at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships 2024.
The 21-year-old has used the momentum to clinch his first-ever victory at the Madrid Open. Allowing the in-form Tomas Machac to win merely 2 games, the Georgia native has certain fans and pundits backing him to face Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-final.
