Just 21 years old, the American star is the next big thing in tennis. With a devastating serve and a marketable personality, the sky is the limit.
To watch Ben Shelton play tennis is an electrifying experience.
The 22-year-old Atlanta native exudes passion, confidence, and charisma on the court. After turning pro just 30 months ago, Shelton reached as high as 13th-best in the ATP Tour rankings this year heading into his Dec. 4 match against Carlos Alcaraz at Madison Square Garden. Always hungry for more, Shelton keeps working on his game, having hired a new fitness coach earlier this year to improve his on-court movement, fluidity, and flexibility.
“I know that this is a process, not a destination,” Shelton told Boardroom during the summer from the DC Open, “so you’ve got to keep improving, or you get left behind.”
Shelton has made $2.22 million in 2024, including a singles title on the clay in Houston back in April, led by his historically powerful serve. The 6-foot-4 dynamo elicits oohs and aahs from crowds with his spectacular serves and returns, further fueling his aggressive, energetic exuberance.
As of late November, Shelton ranked sixth on tour in serve rating, winning 89.1% of his games on serve, landing 68.7% of his first serves in play, and averaging 9.5 aces per match, all ranking in the top 10 in their respective categories. Earlier this summer at Wimbledon, Shelton smashed a serve at 153 miles per hour, the fastest recorded speed since the world’s oldest known tennis tournament began in 1877.
@usopen 143MPH?! 🫣 #USOpen #BenShelton #Tennis ♬ original sound – US Open
“Most people focus on the serve being an arm movement or just a throw, but for me, it’s a full body movement,” Shelton said, demonstrating for the Boardroom cameras. “You’ve got to use your legs, core, hips, and your upper body as well to hit a big serve. That’s at least how I hit my serve the biggest. What’s most important for me is driving from the legs and finishing with the arms, getting in the deep loading position first. And then from there, it’s a chain reaction.”
Even from high up in the stands or on television, you can feel the vigor and vitality Shelton brings to the court. How he twirls his racket in his hands. How he assuredly strides across the court on end changes or in between points. How, at times, he dribbles the ball off the ground with his racket through his legs like a basketball. How he bounces the ball three times before he cocks and fires one of the sport’s most devastating weapons.
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Shelton’s serve isn’t solely a display of brute force or supersonic speed. There’s a pace and diversity to them that keeps his opponents off guard and off balance with varied velocity, spin, and placement.
At the US Open in September, Shelton fell in the round of 32 to fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a four-hour, five-set thriller that the commentary team on ESPN called some of the best-played tennis they’ve seen all season. What makes Shelton such an undeniably unique talent was on full display, even in defeat.
His on-court outfit, a tank top in a multi-colored gradient of pink, purple, blue, and white, evoked the firecracker popsicle, with the assertively demonstrative personality to match. Shelton pairs his fearsome serve with a long stride, thunderous groundstrokes, and the assertiveness to go up to the net to keep his opponents on the defensive. And when he wins a big break or lands a momentum-shifting shot, he’s not afraid to let the world know how he feels.
That was most evident during Friday’s third-set tiebreak. After winning the first six points off to trigger set point, Tiafoe took the next five to capture all the momentum, with the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd chanting his name. Then Shelton unleashed a 143-mile-per-hour ace to win the set, the fastest serve in the tournament to date.
It’s this attitude and swagger that made Shelton the breakout star of last year’s Open, defeating fellow Americans Tommy Paul and Tiafoe before falling to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. It was an impressive feat for a player at any age, but even moreso considering no American man has reached a grand slam final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009. Shelton remembered the crowds at Flushing Meadows being loud and packed, even on the smaller courts, cheering on the States’ newest budding superstar.
It should come as no surprise, then, that companies are lining up to endorse Shelton, including On, Ralph Lauren, Bose, and Porsche. He said he’d love to collaborate with Bose on a custom headphone in his beloved blue and white colorway to bring to tournaments. Alongside WTA world No. 1 Iga Świątek, Shelton was the first active men’s tennis player to endorse On, the Federer-backed upstart running and apparel brand, last year. He believed he could grow along with the company.
“I saw a lot of potential in the company as they saw potential in me,” Shelton said. “I like the people they’ve signed, the athletes they’ve worked with, and their goals and their mission. I liked the feeling of other huge companies who have tons of athletes, but I think it’s really cool to have the opportunity to be one of a select few.”
Getting to work with Federer and even sitting down with the legend at a dinner is what Shelton described as a “pinch me” moment that comes with the territory of being one of tennis’ next big things. But having and maintaining that status comes with tons of stress and pressure and a grueling global schedule that requires the balance of maximizing those precious moments at home to unwind, rest, and decompress at home with family and friends.
Still just 21, Shelton is just getting started on his investing journey at an early age and developing long-term goals and strategies. He only got his passport at 19, right before winning national player of the year at the University of Florida during the 2021-22 season.
“Now I feel like I’ve been almost everywhere in the world,” he said. “Being able to get all these experiences and compete at such a high level with all the guys that I grew up watching is something that I’ve really enjoyed.”
But like Shelton said earlier, maintaining a high level of play on the court is a process for him, not a destination. He said he wants to be a more complete player, more professional daily. He wants to do the right things on and off the court to compete with the best.
“I think the person that you are is just as important as how you play on the court,” Shelton said.
At 22, most people Shelton’s age would still be finishing up college. So, Ben Shelton, the tennis player, and Ben Shelton, the human being, are far from finished products. That’s a frightening proposition for his competitors on tour and a delightful thought for tennis fans in the US and globally, hoping that he can become the American superstar we’ve all waited decades to materialize.
