Ben Shelton broke the 2023 tennis season, bringing a breath of fresh air to the ATP Tour and US tennis. The young American tennis player, after a few promising years spent among USTA colleges, surprised everyone by winning his first title at the ATP 500 in Tokyo and also reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open 2023, even reaching the semi-finals of the US Open, beaten by Novak Djokovic.
The young 21-year-old also stood out off the court, with a flashy style, inspired by his idol Roger Federer. Speaking to ON, Shelton said: “A lot of the brands other players wear don’t do much outside of mainstream wear, so my friends on tour are definitely envious of the gradient kit I wear. They all want to touch it. Tennis has a great tradition and rich history. For style I draw inspiration from different people, other athletes and Instagram. Roger is one of those who can do everything. He can do it on the court, he can do it off the court, he can do it at the Met Gala, he can do it at Wimbledon,” he told.
Speaking of Roger Federer, the young American tennis player inherited one of the most famous sponsors of the Swiss Maestro. In fact, as he himself shared on Instagram, Shelton has become the new brand ambassador of Rolex, the historic and luxurious watch brand with which Federer has a long-standing partnership.
Shelton on Djokovic and Sinner
In an interview given a few weeks ago to Gazzetta dello Sport, Shelton said he felt similar, in some ways, to Rafa Nadal.
“I have followed Rafael Nadal for a long time and I have tried to steal some secrets from him, but my favorite has always been Roger Federer. I admired Rafa and I think that sometimes, when I find myself fighting on the court, I take on traits of him on the court. We are talking about a tennis player who never gives up, in every match, and has done so in every tournament. My desire is to have a fighting spirit like his,” explained the American.
On Novak Djokovic, Shelton instead declared: “I believe Novak Djokovic will continue to win tournaments, in three years he will still be here among the best. My favorite American tennis player is definitely my father. If I have to go beyond the family circle, I say Andy Roddick.”
Finally, the American spoke about Jannik Sinner: “Jannik is only a year older than me and he has achieved a lot. He is already in the Top 5 and I believe he will remain there for many years and leads the entire Italian movement, a generation with many young talents.”
