"Could be a tough relationship" - Jimmy Connors on players being coached by their parents ft. Ben Shelton
Jimmy Connors believes that the relationship between players - Ben Shelton, for instance - and parents who also double as their coaches on tour could be tough at times.
After stepping down from his role as men's tennis coach at the University of Florida, Bryan Shelton became his son Ben's full-time coach in June 2023. Ben pulled off notable results after his father's appointment, particularly at the US Open, where he reached the semifinals.
While the father-son duo enjoys a thriving relationship on tour, Connors is of the opinion that most players might find it tough to deal with the constant influence of their parents.
"His [Ben's] dad is his coach and who has the experience of being out on the tour and playing himself. So, you know their ego again, which is good. I know how it was with my mom. Sometimes, that could be a tough relationship if you are listening to your mom or you are listening to your dad and they're trying to coach you to become a better player," Connors said in a recent episode of the Advantage Connors podcast.
However, the American opined that such relationships have a special trust and that the parents' encouragement stands second to none.
"But I mean, there's nobody that's in your corner more than them. So, the trust there is pretty special," he added.
Ben Shelton won his first title under his father's guidance at the Japan Open last week. The American defeated Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the summit clash.
Ben Shelton is a great competitor, says his father Bryan
Bryan Shelton, meanwhile, believes that his son Ben Shelton is a great competitor given his passion to contend and challenge himself irrespective of the tour level he plays in.
In a recent interview with Ubi Tennis, Bryan said that the youngster always seizes the opportunity he gets to play against top opponents on the tour.
"I think he's a great competitor, he loves to compete and it doesn't matter the level. Whether it's a Challenger tournament, ATP or a Grand Slam, he sees it as an opportunity to show his talent, his personality, to have fun. And challenge himself and have the opportunity to play against the best like Casper [Ruud] and Jannik [Sinner] and the others," Bryan stated.
He added that Ben's attitude to relentlessly take up challenges week in and week out makes him rather "special."
"Many players, after a tournament, maybe think about taking a week off, but he never even thought about taking a break. He wants to play again, you know? He loves the challenge. I like that he has that attitude because I think he's special," Bryan added.
Ben Shelton most recently played on tour at the Paris Masters, where he suffered a first-round defeat against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3.