Ben Shelton has been backed up by his peers to perform well on clay courts this season. Arthur Fils and Sebastian Baez feel Shelton could win a major title on the surface this time, as per their latest interview with the ATP Tour.
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Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were the last players from the US to win a Masters 1000 title on clay. Shelton has the chance to equal the records of Sampras and Agassi when in the upcoming weeks.
Sampras won his only Masters 1000 clay title in 1994 in Rome. He defeated Boris Becker in straight sets to lift the trophy. Sampras only dropped a single set on his way to victory.
Meanwhile, Agassi was much more successful on the surface than Sampras. But the 8-time Grand Slam champion could capture a Masters 1000 title on the surface just once. Agassi defeated Tommy Haas in the final at Rome in 2002 to become the last American to win the title on the red dirt. He won all his matches in straight sets and recorded two bagels in the event. Since Agassi’s victory, American players have struggled to maintain a winning streak on clay.
It has been 22 years since an American player found success on clay at a Masters 1000 event. But things can change this year with Shelton’s rise on the ATP tour. He has started to build his dominance on clay. The youngster is currently playing at the Houston Open and has reached the final at the event.
Shelton has hit 16 aces and has won more than 70 percent of his first serves in each match at the 2024 Houston Open. He notched his 6th career clay victory in the finals, beating Frances Tiafoe. Shelton has become a cult hero of sorts in the United States, winning his first title on clay, that too on home soil.
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Ben Shelton is looking forward to making American history at Madrid
The Mutua Madrid Open is one of the latest events to make it’s debut on the ATP Tour. The first edition was held in 2002 and has been held every year except in 2020.
The initial six years of the tournament were played on hard courts until the change was made in 2009 to clay courts. After Agassi won the event in 2002, no American player has managed to reach the final and Ben Shelton could end the unfortunate streak this time.
The conditions at Madrid will favor Shelton’s quick approach to the game. The 21-year-old has one of the fastest serves in the sport and can be a vital factor at Madrid. Shelton’s booming serves combined with his groundstrokes are the perfect mixture for winning the title on the courts at “La Caja Mágica.”
The Mutua Madrid Open is played at a little more high altitude than most of the ATP events. The ball bounces off the court faster than usual on a humid day at the event. World No.16 has a golden opportunity to conquer the challenges in Madrid as soon as the event starts at the end of this month.
