Ben Shelton Draws Compatriot Coco Gauff’s Empathy Following Unfortunate Australian Open Withdrawal

Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff sure put the ‘United’ in the USA roster of players. While the Americans have been taking over the tennis scene, bringing back the spark to American tennis, they’ve been a constant support system to each other during wins and losses. While Gauff faced a tough loss in her quarterfinals on the women’s side, Shelton came to his first AO semifinals against World No.1 Jannik Sinner. However, despite losing to the Italian by 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2, he is keeping his spirits high. And Gauff is right there to cheer him on.

On Friday, Shelton had a tough semifinal in Melbourne, serving for the first set at 6-5 with two set points but couldn’t close it out. Sinner, proving why he’s No.1, crushed the tiebreak and rode the momentum to win in straight sets. As the time ticked, the American’s usually reliable serve faltered, with just 56% of first-serve points won. Despite the loss, Shelton’s staying positive and taking the tournament as a big learning experience—taking to his IG shortly after to write, “I’ll be back better Melbourne 💔 A lot more work to do down here 🤞🏽”

One can’t deny that Shelton demonstrated remarkable resilience at the Australian Open. He skipped the United Cup to focus on this Grand Slam. He fought his way through tough matches against Brandon Nakashima, Pablo Carreno Busta, Lorenzo Musetti, and Gael Monfils, who retired in the third set. After defeating Lorenzo Sonego in the quarters, he faced Jannik Sinner in the semis. Although he fell short, his journey deserved applause, which came as a shout-out from Gauff under his post, she wrote, “unreal tournament!”

Before this, Shelton had expressed his bond with the American stars, including the WTA No.3 as his “close friend” alongside Chris Eubanks. Additionally, the two have shared quite a few memories on the court and off the court. Recently, during their AO run, they were spotted for a late-night ice cream. Although the moment sparked a few rumors, Gauff dismissed them, saying she’s not dating “someone in tennis.” With dating rumors out the way, Ben and Coco continue to inspire each other.

Gauff draws strength from Shelton’s uplifting words

Coco Gauff arrived at the Australian Open riding high after winning the 2024 China Open and the WTA Finals in Riyadh. However, her journey came to a halt in the quarterfinals when she faced off against Spaniard Paula Badosa, who delivered a straight-set victory to cut Gauff’s run short. Despite the disappointment, Gauff remained upbeat during her post-match presser, stating, “I’m not crushed, but obviously it does feel bad when you feel like you’re playing great tennis for the better start of this year to lose, but it is what it is. We’ll get back to work.”

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton kept the American spirit alive in Melbourne. The 2022 NCAA champion fought his way into the semifinals after a hard-fought victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, winning 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4). After reaching his second major semifinal—his first since the 2023 US Open—Shelton took to Instagram to share his on-court adventures. His post featured a motivational caption: “Put in work, let God do the rest,” which caught Gauff’s attention. She chimed in with a supportive comment saying, “Facts,” showing her camaraderie with her fellow American.

Though both players have exited the tournament, their journeys have been nothing short of inspiring. Shelton once described Gauff as “charismatic” and a player with “so many qualities out there that resemble a male player.” With their undeniable talent and passion for the game, it’s clear that these two American sensations will be back on the court soon to showcase their skills again. Will they surprise fans with another win for Team USA? Only time will tell!