Ben Shelton's sister Emma reacts to American joining their father Bryan on ATP Houston Honors Board after 2024 Title
Ben Shelton's sister Emma Shelton reacted to her brother's achievement of winning the men's clay court tournament in Houston, which put him in the same seat as his father Bryan Shelton, who won the same title back in 1992. Ben Shelton won the title by defeating compatriot Francis Tiafoe in the final.
Emma Shelton is a tennis player playing in the ITF and SEC tours. Yet to make it to the big leagues in the WTA, she remains an ardent supporter of the brother's endeavors on the court and is often seen in the player's box during his matches.
Ben Shelton's title at the men's clay court championships in Houston was his second career title and first one on clay. The match saw Shelton show composure and dexterity to defeat Tiafoe, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a tense three-set encounter.
Emma Shelton took to her Instagram account and shared this unique achievement on her story.
Bryan Shelton has had a prolific coaching career as he was one of the most prominent coaches in the NCAA division. Under his tutelage, two of the college teams, Georgia Tech and the Florida Gators went on to win the NCAA championships.
"He hasn't really scratched the surface"- Bryan Shelton on his son Ben Shelton's potential
Bryan Shelton, aside from being an excellent tennis coach, was also a prolific player with a career-high rank of 55. In the 2023 season, Bryan Shelton gave up his coaching position and became a full-time coach for his son.
The new partnership saw immediate results as Ben Shelton made it to the semifinals of the US Open. On his way to the last four stages, the young American defeated his more seasoned compatriots Tommy Paul and Francis Tafoe, who were seeded 14 and 10, respectively. Shelton lost the semi-final against eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Shelton, however, went on to win his first title at the Japan Open later in the 2023 season where he defeated Aslan Karatsev in the final.
Talking about Ben's playing prowess and talent, Bryan Shelton claimed that there was still a lot of untapped potential.
“Oh my goodness. That's probably one of the most exciting parts of Ben. His potential is, in my opinion, limitless, because he hasn't really scratched the surface,” said Bryan Shelton on atptour.com
The main strength of Shelton is his huge serve. At the young age of 21, the American has already clocked serves at 150 miles per hour at the BNP Paribas Open in 2024.