Ben Shelton, the 23-year-old American tennis player, stated that despite his loss in the US Open final, this experience only strengthened his desire to compete for titles at Grand Slam tournaments.
He managed to get past Frances Tiafoe to reach the historic US Open final, where he ultimately lost to Alexander Zverev. Although this was his first Grand Slam final, ending in a loss on Sunday, Shelton emphasized that the four-set defeat to Zverev at the US Open only awakened his appetite for further success.
"It's such a cool moment. Stepping onto the court today, there is nothing like it. I have never felt this before," Shelton shared. He added that being in such situations brings a 'captivating feeling.'
Despite not becoming the first American in 23 years to lift a Grand Slam trophy, his best tournament run included an impressive five-set victory over seven-time champion Carlos Alcaraz and a tense semi-final match against Frances Tiafoe.
This success was a dramatic contrast to his second-round exit at Roland Garros and an even more disappointing first-round loss at Wimbledon.
Shelton noted that it was unpleasant to stay home during the last two Grand Slam tournaments, watching others advance through the draw while he remained at home. He explained that such a situation motivates, and while losing in the final is also motivating, this is the place he wants to be.
After turning professional in 2022, Shelton advanced quickly, reaching the top 20 the following year after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, the semi-finals of the US Open, and winning his first ATP title in Tokyo. Now his goal is to become a consistent contender on the biggest sporting stages, where a two-week marathon in a 'best-of-five sets' format against top players demands enormous physical and mental effort.
He admitted that he was tired before stepping onto the court in the final, noting that he had played about 30 sets in the last two weeks. Shelton believes this is something he can continue to work on, but it was his first experience at such a high level, where he played the most tennis in two weeks.
The American player, known for his powerful serve, also believes he has significant potential to improve his game. He stated that he has far from reached the level of player he wants to be, as winning on Sunday requires demonstrating a very high level of great tennis. In his opinion, any opponent at this stage of the tournament will be in excellent shape, so he simply needs to get better.