‘Why Would We Go to Another Country When You’re Not the Best Player Here?’- American Tennis Player Ben Shelton Opens up About Father’s Solid Advice in His Debut Australian Open Glory

In a sport as physically and mentally taxing as tennis, getting a breakthrough is a big deal. While many players are struggling to continue their dream to become an esteemed tennis player, very few would actually make the cut and earn decent enough money to consistently pursue that dream. American tennis, over the past few years, have seen the rise of some good talent in the form of Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, and few others who proved that they can bring American tennis back to its best.

One such young talent who made his move from NCAA to the ATP tour recently is Ben Shelton. Shelton, a leftie, caught everyone’s attention when he defeated Casper Ruud last year at Cincinnati Masters. Since then, the American player participated in a series of Challenger events and created a strong foundation for his game.

Ben Shelton reveals father’s advice behind not traveling outside of America in his entire tennis playing life

Cut to 2023, Shelton plays the Australian Open for the first time and it’s also his first-ever trip down under. To make things even more memorable, Ben registered a five-set victory against China’s Zhang Zhizhen to move to the second round in Melbourne. 

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However, a couple of days before the Grand Slam event, Shelton revealed the real reason behind not moving out of the United States and his father’s strong advice behind doing so.

“I was asking my dad about playing some ITFs or playing outside the country [in the juniors] and he asked me if I was the best player in the United States. I told him, ‘No, I’m not.’ And he said, ‘So why would we go to another country when you’re not the best player here?” Shelton told the ATP Tour’s official website in an interview.

For his first-ever trip, Ben took the longest route possible to reach Australia and that shortened the preparation for his first-round match. In his second round contest at the Australian Open, Shelton will meet an experienced campaigner in Nicolas Jarry.

Despite the result of that encounter, Shelton would cherish his first-ever victory to the fullest as he aims to join his senior pros to challenge big players on the ATP tour over the next few months.

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