‘Ben Shelton Will Never Be Number One’- Tennis Fans Dismiss Vivek Ramaswamy’s Optimism on the Young American at Cincinnati

Ben Shelton might be at the primary stage of his pro career, but it seems the American sensation is making waves far beyond the court. Known for his explosive game and undeniable talent, Shelton has quickly become a rising star in the sport. But recently, his prowess caught the attention of an unexpected admirer—entrepreneur and politician Vivek Ramaswamy. The latest remarks of the politician for Shelton have raised eyebrows within the tennis community.

Taking to X, Ramaswamy shared a picture of himself along with Ben Shelton and his father Bryan from the courts of Cincinnati Masters. An avid tennis fan himself, who is often seen playing tennis, Ramaswamy was spotted in a tennis-like attire as he could be seen in shorts and a white T-shirt in the photo. But what inflicted the temperament of the fans was the caption that accompanied the photo. 

Lauding the young talent, Ramaswamy wrote, “Mark my words: future world #1 right here. 21-year-old American ⁦ @BenShelton ⁩ is dominating in Cincinnati. His best days are still ahead. Very proud of him!💪🏼🇺🇸.” But, the fans seemed to nullify the remarks.

As soon as the post was made, several fans expressed disagreement and slammed the politician for his remarks. 

‘Not in this lifetime’ – Ramaswamy’s remark for Ben Shelton draws wide criticism 

Responding to Ramaswamy’s post, one user expressed their disagreement. “Ahead of Janni and Carlos? Not in this lifetime, homes,” the user wrote. Interestingly, Shelton has failed to prove his abilities especially while facing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. 

Shelton has faced Sinner four times on the professional tour and has lost three of those encounters. Against Alcaraz, he witnessed a defeat in the only match they played on tour in 2023. Besides, while Sinner is the reigning Australian Open and the World No. 1 player, Alcaraz has four grand slams to his name. On the contrary, Shelton’s most significant run in a grand slam tournament was in the 2023 US Open, where he reached the semi-finals.

The series of backlash continued. Taking to X, another user wrote, “You are right on political issues, Vivek. But Shelton will never be number one. Consistently a top 20 player for several years but that’s as good as it will get.” Shelton is currently ranked 14 on the ATP rankings. Despite the sensational skills he has demonstrated, he has failed to clinch a title lately, despite reaching close.

In the current American hard-court swing, Shelton seemed to be determined but failed to convert his momentum during crucial matches. Playing at the Washington Open, he lost to a much lower-ranked player, Flavio Cobolli in the semi-finals. In the Canadian Open, he could only advance to the second round, and hence, Ramaswamy’s statement seems to be a little exaggeration to many enthusiasts.

Another user took a sarcastic dig at Ramaswamy. “Of pickleball maybe,” the user wrote. Tennis players, who fail to gain significant success on the tennis courts are often stereotyped to become as pickleball players. In fact, many pickleball players quit tennis to pursue a career in the sport. With the not-so-phantom performance of Shelton, fans believe that he can become a number one player only in pickleball. 

“Sorry mate, but actual tennis fans know that players like Shelton will never beat Alcaraz or Sinner in the next 20 years…,” another user wrote. Both Sinner and Alcaraz have achieved significant success this year. Of the three Grand Slams that took place this year so far, one is bagged by Sinner and the other two by Alcaraz. Besides, the Spaniard is fresh off his maiden Olympic silver medal as well. Hence, keeping Shelton away ahead of them seemed to be surprising for fans.

Another fan simply called the post, “Cringe.” But Shelton can definitely prove his critics wrong. He has already advanced to the quarterfinals at the ongoing Cincinnati Open and can make big at the tournament. As the season progresses, it would be interesting to see if he can actually prove Ramaswamy’s admiration for him true.