The 2024 season for ATP players has seen some impressive skills. The American players have made some epic strides; Ben Shelton certainly thinks so. Even though European counterparts like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev are clinching the top ranks of the ATP rankings, he certainly believes that in the coming 2025, they might just surprise everyone by making it big.

Currently, Shelton is competing in the U.S. for tennis exhibitions. On Wednesday, he faced World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in a fierce match for the Garden Cup at Madison Square Garden. Although he lost 4-6, 6-2, [1-0], he enjoyed the challenge against Alcaraz, whom he once dubbed “Thanos” for his destructive play during the Davis Cup. Shelton had to run from end to end, even executing splits to return shots.

In a post-match interview, Shelton was asked a tough question: “You made it to the final four in a Grand Slam; are you going to be able to bring a Grand Slam home to America next year?” The 22-year-old has made significant strides this year, reaching No. 13 in August before dropping to No. 21 due to recent losses. He did clinch a title in Houston but also made it to the semi- and quarter-finals of tournaments in Auckland, Dallas, Mexico, Washington, and Cincinnati. Not to forget his stunning performance that got him to the finals in Basel!

Despite his success, he remains humble about his performance. Choosing instead to talk about the collective achievement of the American players. “I hate talking about myself so I’m going to talk about the American group that we have,” he said. He highlighted Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. Noting their continuous improvement this season, he added, “You saw Taylor Fritz in the finals of the US Open this year. You saw Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals.”

Fritz has made remarkable progress this year. Climbing to No. 4 after his stellar performance at the ATP Finals. He faced World No. 1 twice and secured titles at the Eastbourne Open and Delray Beach Open. Meanwhile, Tiafoe sits at No. 18 but has reached semi-finals and finals at several tournaments this year. Shelton believes they will rise to the occasion against their top competitors: “I think that we’re continuing to improve! We got some Spaniards and Italians to chase down in front of us, and…we’re coming.”

It’s not unknown that Shelton often acts as a cheerleader for his American teammates on social media. He celebrated Fritz’s ATP Finals run by reposting his poster with the caption, “Good work homie @taylor_fritz 🤞🏼.” He also shares funny remarks on their posts from time to time. Keeping a friendly relationship with all the ATP stars, he was recently spotted enjoying an NBA Knicks game with Alcaraz the night before their match.

American and Spanish tennis players come together for a fun basketball night

Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton were spotted enjoying the NBA Cup final between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. The two tennis stars sat courtside, radiating camaraderie. They were also seen posing for photos with WTA players Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro. Despite their competitive head-to-head record of 2-0 in favor of Alcaraz, the atmosphere was friendly as they shared laughs off the court. Alcaraz even posted a fun moment on social media, captioning it, “@nyknicks @benshelton 🫱🏻‍🫲🏻🫡.”

As young stars just a year apart in age, Alcaraz and Shelton seem to have developed a genuine friendship. With anticipation building for their upcoming exhibition match at Madison Square Garden, Shelton expressed his admiration for Alcaraz. Calling him his “favorite player to share the court with” due to his creativity and style. He noted how the crowd goes wild whenever they play against each other, which was certainly seen at their match yesterday.

While he lost to the Spaniard this time, Shelton is also looking forward to the 2025 season. Although he remains humble about his abilities, fans should gear up to see what this talented young player will achieve next. The Australian Open isn’t too far now. Do you think Ben and his American comrades will clinch more titles next year? Let us know in the comments below.