Three years after winning the NCAA singles title with the University of Florida, Ben Shelton became the newest member of the ATP's Top 10 on Monday. The 22-year-old, who famously clinched the NCAA team title for the Gators four years ago at the USTA National Campus, has not forgotten his roots in The Swamp.
"Top 10 baby, Gator boys stay hot!" he wrote on the camera lens after securing his place as the world No. 10 by beating Jiri Lehecka in Friday's Stuttgart quarterfinals.
Shelton joins world No. 4 Taylor Fritz and No. 8 Tommy Paul in the Top 10, giving the U.S. three men in that elite group for the first time since Andre Agassi, James Blake and Andy Roddick in April 2006. No other nation has more than one player in the ATP's Top 10.
When told he had clinched that breakthrough during his on-court interview, Shelton wanted to see it with his own eyes. Judging by his message on the camera lens, he must have received quick confirmation—even quicker than his rise to the Top 10 in just his third full season as a pro.
“I’m gonna go look... I’ve got to see it first," Shelton said. "If that is true, that’s really cool, a big milestone in tennis.”
In the summer of 2022, Shelton was still considering a return to Florida, where his father, Bryan Shelton, was his college head coach. But after he beat Casper Ruud in Cincinnati, it was clear he could cut it as a professional.
The 2023 Australian Open was his grand introduction, as Shelton showcased his electric lefty game on the world stage by reaching the quarterfinals. He capped his first full season as a pro with a US Open semifinal run and his maiden ATP Tour title in Tokyo, with his father then by his side as his full-time coach.
He added another title last year in Houston, and over the past 52 weeks also reached finals in Basel and Munich. The marquee results underpinning his Top 10 stats are a semifinal showing at this year's Australian Open and ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal runs at Cincinnati and Indian Wells. Shelton also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year and Roland Garros this summer, and advanced to the third round at the 2024 US Open.
Asked at the US Open about the quality of the American men's contingent, Shelton's words proved prescient: “The quality of U.S. men's tennis is 100% on the rise,” he said. “I think that we've had a lot of guys for a while that you think are going to start pushing through into the Top 15, Top 10, guys who have already been there as well who are finding their form again.
“This is the most guys that we've had in this competitive position in a while.”
After a historic performance by the American men at Roland Garros, as many as seven U.S. players could be seeded at a second straight major in the Wimbledon men's singles draw. The U.S. dominance also extends to women's singles, where Madison Keys (Australian Open) and Coco Gauff (Roland Garros) have won the two major trophies on offer this year. Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Keys and Emma Navarro are all among the WTA's Top 10; like on the men's side, no other nation boasts more than one Top 10 player.
