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“I’m not sure if this is what I expected when my career started,” confessed a Ben Shelton with a wide smile on his face minutes after confirming his spot in the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open. The world number 20 secures a place in the Top 15, with the possibility of improving his ranking even further. However, at this moment, the American is only focused on continuing to dream in Melbourne.
“Honestly, as a kid, when I stopped playing football, I was a bit overweight. I wasn’t fat, but I weighed a lot. I’ve always struggled physically. I would go far in matches, but then I’d start cramping or run out of energy. It’s very special for me to be playing in these major tournaments and being able to play my best tennis, to endure the physical aspect of five-set matches.”
An intense battle with Lorenzo Sonego
“I probably had one of my worst serving days. I hadn’t spent much time on the Rod Laver Arena and the wind was blowing. Things took a bit longer. After the first two sets, he raised his level, hitting winners all the time. I was trying to hang in there, so I’m proud to have overcome him in four sets.”
-What has changed since reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2023 US Open?
“The difference in my game now is that when I played the 2023 US Open, I felt like everything had to be perfect. I was playing on the edge. Hitting a lot of winners, serving incredibly. Everything had to align perfectly for me to go far. Lately, in the matches here in Melbourne, it hasn’t been all perfect. I’ve had to make up for my shortcomings with other aspects of my game. I think I return much better than in the past. I’m winning in different ways. Last year, if I served poorly, it was a defeat for me. That’s the growth. I’ve been working every day to be a complete player. If you only rely on one factor, you’re in trouble.”
How can he control his limits?
“It’s like a calculated risk. You have to choose the moments, keep believing in the things you trust. I’ve been more conservative with my game from the baseline in this tournament. I might have to step it up a level in the semifinals. I’m figuring out ways to make my opponents uncomfortable without reaching my upper limits.”
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton reveals the great change in his tennis that makes him successful in Australia
