Following a busy schedule in 2024, American tennis sensation Ben Shelton is currently enjoying his break. He’s finally found time for activities that he couldn’t do before. However, it seems like Ben was having no clue about the challenges outside of the tennis court, until he went for a car service!

An extremely bizarre incident took Ben Shelton by surprise recently. The world no.21 shared a story on his Instagram in which he revealed his unexpected experience at a car service shop. According to Big Ben, he took his car to a shop for having some work done on it. But little did he know about the rates. They were beyond his imagination. “This service shop just told me their hourly labor rate is 300/hour,” he wrote.

The rate of $300 per hour had Ben in complete shock. So much so, that he asked the shop owners to hire him. “I said do you have an application I wanna apply for a job. Crazy world out here”, read the description in his story. In the picture that he posted, he clearly seemed confused. Maybe he assumed the rates to be quite affordable – but the reality is not so easy-going these days. Ben just realized it now.

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton is also preparing to make a return on the court. His best performance in 2024 came during the ATP Houston, in April, where he beat compatriot Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to lift his only title of this season. In his last major appearance, however, he couldn’t do well. At the Rolex Paris Masters, in late October, he failed to move past the Round of 32. France’s Arthur Cazaux got the better of him and took the match 6-3, 7 (7)-6 in straight sets. But Shelton knows how to make a comeback. Although he’s still very young, his talent has already grabbed the attention of some of the top tennis figures like Stan Smith who believe he can turn into a great player.

When Ben Shelton earned a special mention from Stan Smith

In an episode of the Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast, dated April 27th, former World No.1 and American tennis legend Stan Smith shared his thoughts on Ben Shelton. Commenting on the 22-year-old’s ability to hit powerful serves, he said, “It’s truly explosive; it’s not smooth as a guy like Federer. You know, the liquid power comes from all the connected links of your body working together at the right time as efficiently as possible, and that’s where you get the guy who generated tremendous power, and Ben does everything needed. Good knee bend, good shoulder return, live arm.” Perhaps Stan was blown away by Ben’s exceptional speeds he attained during last year’s US Open. For those unaware, he managed to touch 147 and 149 mph of serve speeds at the Flushing Meadows.

Stan’s words will definitely act as a huge inspiration for Ben going forward. As the next season begins in January with the Australian Open, he would like to make it big in the first Major of 2025. Moreover, he will also try to improve his current ranking and break into the top 10. Do you think he will be able to put on a promising show in the next season? Let us know in the comments.