"Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer can adapt" – Ben Shelton seeks to replicate the Big 3 in hopes of glory ahead of US Open
Ben Shelton, at a press conference before the 2024 US Open, talked about seeking inspiration from multi-time Grand Slam champions like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. He said the three had shown how to adapt to different playing conditions.
Shelton has entered the main draw in New York as the 13th seed and will open against former champion Dominic Thiem, who will retire this season.
The American comes to the US Open off a decent showing at the Cincinnati Masters, where he reached the quarterfinals. In the press conference, he looked back on his performance and was particularly happy with how he adjusted to the tricky conditions in Ohio:
"One of the things that I loved about the way I played in Cincinnati is it was difficult conditions. Really fast court. A lot of wind, not easy for anyone to play there. There was a lot of complaints about the conditions there and I thought that I did a great job adapting and adjusting," he said.
The 21-year-old noted greats like Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer, known as the Big 3 in tennis, did remarkably well in adapting to varied conditions on tour, achieving immense success.
"I think that the greats who have won many, many, many titles, namely Roger and Novak and Rafa, they can adapt. They can win Roland Garros and not play a tournament, and then go win or be in the finals of Wimbledon," he added.
Shelton added:
"So, I think adapting to different surfaces, different conditions, on the fly, is something that's really important in our sport, because we're not always using the same balls or playing on the same surfaces."
Ben Shelton: "I have improved my professionalism"
During the press conference at the 2024 US Open, Ben Shelton talked about his development as a player, following last year's run to the semifinals in New York.
"I think I've made a lot of progress, especially in my movement. I think I'm a much better mover than 52 weeks ago. I think I'm a better and more consistent, well-rounded baseline player and volleyer as well. I think I've improved in almost every aspect," he said.
He added:
"One of the other things I have improved on is my professionalism. I think I do a better job day in, day out, doing the right things. You don't always see the results right away from those efforts, but they're definitely there."
Shelton lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in last year's US Open semifinals. In the previous rounds, he got the better of Pedro Cachin, Dominic Thiem, Aslan Karatsev, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe.