Ben Shelton has been one of the biggest breakout names of 2023, quickly ascending the rankings. His performance and persona have grabbed attention as he scaled new heights this year. He, however, recently admitted that he did not like playing tennis as a child on the ATP Tennis Podcast.
With the ‘telephone’ celebration that is the talk of the town, Shelton is on the path to becoming the headline-making tennis star the USA needs. Given his outspoken energy and extroverted personality, he could be the global marketing name American tennis is yearning for. After Andre Agassi, no player from the United States has stepped up and taken that mantle.
Shelton reveals how he ditched tennis as a child
Ben Shelton started off the 2023 season with a quarter-final run at the Australian Open. His crowning moment was making it to the semi-finals of the 2023 US Open. He is currently ranked a career-best World No. 19. As a teen, Shelton had a storied collegiate career in the NCAA before turning pro. In the ATP Tennis Podcast, he talked about how he got into playing the sport.
Shelton said his parents handed him a tennis racket for the first time, giving him a balloon to play along with. He confessed to not liking tennis and not wanting to be involved with it, saying he liked other sports. He said that his decision to become a tennis player was taken only after he won his first professional match.
“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.”
This statement from Shelton is similar to what Agassi, the last American tennis superstar, said of his feelings towards the game. The eight-time Grand Slam winner, in fact, said he hated tennis with a ‘dark and secret passion’. In his 2009 autobiography, Agassi revealed he always disliked tennis, even during his active playing days. He claimed he became a tennis player only because of family pressure and his obvious talent.
From the current generation, Nick Kyrgios has gone on record to say he does not like tennis. He said he wanted to pursue basketball as a young teenager, but his parents pushed him into tennis. The mercurial Aussie reiterated his love for basketball, adding he still harbours a dislike for his current sport (via The Independent).
It is perhaps not a surprise that Shelton’s statement was similar to that of two of the flashiest and most outspoken characters tennis has ever seen. The 21-year-old is also unafraid to speak his mind and does what he likes on and off the court. He has already been compared to Kyrgios for his antics. But if he keeps rising up the ranks, the Agassi comparisons will also follow soon.
Ben Shelton net worth and ranking update
Shelton entered the 2023 Shanghai Masters ranked World No.20. After a quarter-final finish, where he lost to compatriot Sebastian Korda in a historic clash, he rose one place to return to his career-best rank, No.19. In his very young career, he has earned $2,404,962 as prize money for singles and doubles combined. Over $1.9 million has come this year alone. The young American’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million as per multiple media reports.
Continuing his maiden Asian swing, Shelton will feature at the Japan Open in Tokyo. He beat local qualifier Taro Daniel in his first round match in 3 sets. Shelton will aim to make a deep run into the ATP 500 tournament and keep achieving new highs.
