“Looked up to Federer, I liked kind of the classiness & aura around him; Nadal is the clear choice because I'm a lefty as well” - Ben Shelton on the players he admired while growing up
American teenager Ben Shelton is the latest player to speak about his admiration for Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The likes of Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who round out the 'Big 3' of tennis, have dominated the ATP tour for more than two decades. The trio have won the majority of titles on the tour and have inspired the next generation of players.
At a press conference at the 2022 Cincinnati Open, the 19-year-old named Federer and Nadal as the two players he has always looked up to.
“I definitely looked up to Federer. Nadal is the clear choice because I'm a lefty, as well. I liked kind of the classiness of Fed, the aura around him and the way he carries himself on court in victory and defeat,” he said.
“He was kind of like a good role model on the court, off the court, how he handled the press, just a class act. I definitely enjoyed watching him play tennis growing up,” he added.
Ben Shelton through to third round in Cincinnati, faces ninth seed Cameron Norrie next
Ben Shelton’s dream run at the 2022 Western & Southern Open shows no signs of slowing down following his straight-sets win over Casper Ruud on Wednesday. The American teenager dominated fifth seeded Rudd, winning his second round contest 6-3, 6-3. Earlier, he beat Lorenzo Sonego in three sets in the opening round.
Shelton needed just one hour and eight minutes to beat the Norwegian and secure his first top-5 win and only his second Masters 1000 victory.
Crazy vibes so far this week. Got to play against each other like our dads did back in the day @CasperRuud98 https://t.co/OzVZYwKyIJ
Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 19-year-old said that he was happy to have picked up another win at this level.
“I feel great definitely in [an] exciting atmosphere out there. I'm glad to be moving on and happy to be here, for sure,” he said.
While he has looked very composed on the court in Cincinnati, Shelton stated that he was putting on a brave face despite not being fully comfortable on the court.
“I think you've got to fake it till you make it, right? If I'm not feeling completely comfortable at the beginning, I'm going to do my best to show that I am until I find myself in a place where I am settled in,” he said.
“Once I got into the second set today, I wasn't hardly even thinking about it. I was just trying to play my game and execute my game plan. I'm finding it an easier time the more I'm in these situations, getting my heart rate down and feeling more calm on the court,” he added.
Ben Shelton defeats Casper Ruud, 6-3, 6-3, to become the youngest American to defeat a top 5 player in 21 years.
Shelton was at his most efficient against Ruud. He dropped just eight points on serve, winning 85 per cent (22/26) of his first-serve points and 78 per cent (14/18) on his second to progress to the third round, where he will face ninth seed Cameron Norrie.