When it comes to what players bring onto the tennis court, the usual suspects are always skills, determination, and a winning mindset. But for some, there’s another element that plays a major role: a little bit of luck and some deep-rooted beliefs. In fact, these can sometimes lead to a whole set of superstitions, and it looks like American star

Ben Shelton is giving us a glimpse into just that, as he gears up for a massive showdown at the Shanghai Masters.

The American sensation is demonstrating some great skills in the ongoing Shanghai Masters and has won his first two matches in straight sets. In his latest match, he outshined Roberto Carballés Baena 6-3, 6-4, and is now gearing up to meet World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the next round. But it seems he is not just relying on his skills but also giving room to the superstitions that he and his team follow vehemently. 

When quizzed about why he or his team does not talk about their future tournaments and if it is related to any superstition, the young American responded categorically. “I think that one of the things that me and my team try to emphasize is live in the moment, don’t look ahead to the next match, don’t look ahead to the next week. I think if you’re always looking for where is next on the calendar, or when you get to go home, it’s tough to really do the job to the best of your abilities in the current situation you’re in,” Shelton said, while speaking during the press conference after his second round victory. He further opened up about his current priorities.

“I’m focusing on Shanghai, I’m not thinking about whatever is in the next couple weeks in Europe, and then thinking about the current match, so, yeah, that’s kind of our philosophy,” Shelton added. Soon after the Shanghai Masters, the ATP Tour will gradually move to Europe and one of the most intriguing tournaments that fans are awaiting is the Davis Cup in November. For the unversed, Shelton will also be a part of Team USA along with Taylor Fritz, and Tommy Paul, for the tournament. Interestingly, Shelton’s latest take about being superstitious is quite different from his previous stances. 

 

Previously, when he was asked about his preparation styles in an interview with the sportswear company ON, Shelton said, “I’m not a superstitious ritual guy.” He further added that his warm-ups are different from other players on the tour. “I do like to listen to aggressive hip-hop to hype myself up before I go on court, but it just comes down to hard work.” However, he revealed that the most important aspect that he never undermines is the power of hard work. But for now, the 21-year-old wishes to only look for ways to eliminate the Italian dynamo in their rematch of the 2023 Shanghai Masters. 

Remember, Shelton and Sinner faced each other in the Round-of-16 in 2023 as well, the same round which will once again feature them this year. The American star had baffled Sinner back then in a thrilling match, 2-6 6-3 7-6(5). However, Sinner has continued to reflect his tenacity since then and has won the next three matches they played, thereby taking the head-to-head tally to 3-1 in his favor. Interestingly, 3 of these 4 matches came in the Round of 16. But despite the Italian’s dominance, Shelton has continued to treasure the memories of his win at Shanghai against Sinner. 

“That will be fun,” Ben Shelton reflects on how he treasures winning against Jannik Sinner

Ben Shelton was probably unaware of the draw and was extremely focused on his match. It is probably for this reason that when asked about his sentiments on meeting Sinner again, he expressed some sort of surprise. But now, the American star seems to be pumped up and revealed how special is his victory against Sinner on the surface of Shanghai Masters. 

Speaking to the Press ahead of his clash with Sinner, Shelton walked down the memory lane. “Great memories from that match last year, I probably watched the tape of that a couple times so far this year,” he said. “I‘m really looking forward to it, that will be fun,” Shelton added. He also went on to highlight the importance of such matches and shared, “It’s always a big opportunity whenever you get to play one of the best two or three players in the world.”

For now, it would be interesting to see if Ben Shelton replicates his previous performance against Sinner in Shanghai, or the Italian dynamo avenges his past defeat. But what remains certain is a thrilling showdown between the two.