"Hard to find words" - Ben Shelton on his 2023 season following Paris Masters exit
Ben Shelton has reflected on his 2023 season following his exit from the Paris Masters.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Shelton 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-3 on Monday, October 30, at the Accor Arena in Paris to secure his place in the second round.
The American came in the ATP 1000 event on the back of a title triumph at the Japan Open. He defeated the likes of Taro Daniel, Jordan Thompson, Tommy Paul, Marcos Giron, and Aslan Karatsev to claim the championship title.
Ben Shelton had an exceptional first year on tour, recording an impressive 28 victories out of 53 matches and securing the title in Japan. He also reached his first-ever quarterfinals at the Australian Open, where he lost to compatriot Tommy Paul.
Another remarkable feat was his breakthrough performance in the US Open, where he advanced to the semifinals, only to be defeated by the eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Shelton also won the Laver Cup with Team World.
The American took to social media to share a series of pictures featuring the people who supported him throughout the year. Expressing his overwhelming emotions, the 21-year-old stated that finding the right words to describe his journey during his first year on tour was "hard to find".
"Hard to find words to describe the season I had in my first year out on tour. So here are some of the people I got to share it with that made it special 💙 See y’all down under✌🏽🇦🇺 ," Shelton captioned his Instagram post.
Ben Shelton's father on his son: "I think he's a great competitor"
Bryan Shelton recently shared insights about Ben Shelton, highlighting his son's exceptional competitive attitude and unwavering work ethic.
During an interview with Ubi Tennis, Bryan, who himself used to play tennis, discussed his son's competitive nature. He revealed that Ben is constantly looking forward to playing against top opponents.
"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 Shelton said.
Ben Shelton's father further spoke about his son's exceptional work ethic, which sets the youngster apart from his peers.
"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 said.
"Even when he doesn't feel 100%, he doesn't make excuses, he wants to compete. He wants to train, he wants to push. We just need to make sure he doesn't push too hard," he added.