Philanthropic Ben Shelton’s Part in $100,000 Initiative Instills ‘Super Happy’ Feelings in the American

Apart from contributing to the development of nature-friendly initiatives, raising awareness among the masses on the most pressing environmental issues has now become very important. Who understands this better than tennis players who spend most of their time in their careers travelling around the world? One such tennis player, Ben Shelton, recently stepped along with other ATP stars to pledge $100K in support for environmental support initiatives.

Last year, it was reported that maximum temperatures at all the Grand Slam tournaments had risen by 3 degrees Celsius since 1988. Tennis players are now taking the first step towards a better future. 

Ben Shelton is a ‘big fan’ of HIA’s vision

High Impact Athletes (HIA) connects professional sportspersons with the most cost-effective, evidence-based charities in the world. It has already built a community of more than 200 athletes. Influencing more than $800K donations to date, HIA has harnessed the power of athlete voices. The donations made on the players’ behalf by the ATP were awarded in recognition of their climate leadership through the ATP Carbon Tracker in 2023.

Ben Shelton, who always keeps his charity works a secret, expressed his excitement to be involved in this initiative focussed on emissions reduction, clean air and agricultural innovations. He said, “I’m a big fan of HIA’s vision to get the most impact out of every dollar donated. That was a big pull for me in deciding which environmental causes to support with this donation. Super happy to join the other athletes that have given their voice to this movement too.”

Additionally, Marcus Daniell, Founder & Executive Director of HIA went on to say, “I’m excited and honoured to have a player of Ben’s calibre support our High Impact Athletes Environmental Portfolio. The fact that Ben was a winner of the ATP’s Carbon Tracker prize pool is a testament to his conscientiousness.”

READ MORE: Indian Wells 2024: Ben Shelton and Jessica Pegula Lead Star-Studded Lineup for $200,000 Bounty

Talking about the ‘impactful’ actions of Ben Shelton, Daniell continued, “And the fact that he is donating the prize to such a highly impactful set of charities is a testament to his selflessness and smarts. We couldn’t have thought of a more apt role model for young athletes to look up to. Both on the court and in the charity space. Bravo, Next Gen!”

The Carbon Tracker app was launched last year in collaboration with Infosys. It enabled players to track, assess and offset carbon emissions during their tours. Let’s find out more reactions on the Carbon Tracker from tennis stars.

‘Carbon Tracker app is a perfect first step’ – Andrey Rublev

Last year Andrey Rublev stated, “As a tennis player, I have to travel a lot. Especially there are a lot of flights per year [over a] long distance, different continents. So the Carbon Tracker app is a perfect first step.”

Dominic Thiem said, “It’s super important that athletes. Especially from a big global popular sport like tennis, speak up because they have a big fanbase. They can inspire a lot of people and in this way. They can have quite a big part of helping to save the planet.”

Climate Change issues have been a major topic of discussion in the tennis world. The last time ATP Carbon Tracker made a headline, it stated that over 6 and a half million kilometres were travelled and 1722 tons of Carbon Dioxide emitted in 2023. 

Even during the US Open last year, Coco Gauff‘s SF match witnessed a 49-minute halt when climate change protestors started shouting ‘End Fossil Fuels’ during the match. What are your thoughts on this initiative by the ATP?

Watch This Story: Bonafide Fitness Buff Serena Williams Reveals Major Nostalgia That Keeps Her Pumped Up In The Gym