At 22, Ben Shelton has already become a major talking point in the tennis world. He captured the attention of fans with his exploits at the 2023 US Open, where he reached the semifinals. Months later, he continues to enthrall tennis fans with gripping and aggressive performances on the court. However, the American sensation hasn’t had the best of starts to the 2025 season and bowed out of the Australian Open in the semifinals. Amid this setback, tennis legend, Mats Wilander has some advice for him.
Shelton was up against Jannik Sinner in the last-four clash Down Under. Interestingly, Sinner had four consecutive wins over Shelton going into the match. The scenario didn’t change at the Australian Open, as Sinner defeated Shelton in straight sets. Earlier this week, Wilander appeared on the Kick Serve Radio.com podcast where he opened up about the improvements required in Shelton’s game while praising his aggression.
Wilander revealed, “He’s viewed as an extremely dangerous player with a lot of talent not just in his hands but also physically. He tries really hard all the time and seems to embrace the moment so he’s a great competitor as well and because he’s won already, he knows how to get it done and he believes in himself. I think he’s calmed down a bit in his shot selection. Now is the time when you add stuff. Ok, what we gonna do, we’re gonna hit forehands and backhands but we’re also gonna hit slice backhands ands we’re gonna serve and volley.”
Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – August 26, 2024 Ben Shelton of the U.S. reacts during his first round match against Austria’s Dominic Thiem REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
While Shelton has an extremely dangerous serve and hits the ball very hard, he is often criticized for not bringing variety to his game. The American sensation can seldom be found to hit drop shots, slices, and serve and volley. This can sometimes make his game predictable, and the likes of Sinner have taken advantage of this weakness of Shelton. As a result, Wilander advised Shelton to add another dimension to his game by trying out new shots and techniques.
However, Wilander wasn’t the only one to advise Shelton after his Australian Open setback. Another former player, Jan-Michael Gambill, had a useful piece of advice for the young American.
Jan-Michael Gambill wants Shelton to focus on consistency
After his exploits at the 2023 US Open, expectations have risen from Shelton. Meanwhile, some have even predicted that Shelton might win a major title this season. However, former American player, Gambill, wants Shelton to take it one step at a time and put on consistent displays across the tournaments.
He mentioned, “He does have to buy into the fact that he needs to be more consistent against certain players. He’s going to have to be able to rally with a sinner from the baseline, I think, a little bit longer. That’s a decision. Can he do a little bit more at this backhand? I think that holds him back against a sinner who’s just about as good off the forehand and the backhand, whereas Ben can’t really hit the backhand big and hurt his opponents. He’ll change direction and do some good ones. But it’s really the forehand, isn’t it? That’s the big weapon from the baseline. There’s some things that I think they can still improve. So, it’s tough to say, but he has to make that decision.”
After his Australian Open campaign, Shelton will travel to Dallas to play in the ATP 500 Dallas Open. Can he come back stronger after his debacle Down Under? Let us know your views in the comments below.
The post “Extremely Dangerous Player”: Ben Shelton Hit With a Harsh Reality Check by Ex-ATP Pro Amid Australian Open Setback appeared first on EssentiallySports.