Ben Shelton will play his first Roland Garros in 2023 and he will be seeded on his debut on the Parisian clay.
The young American has enjoyed a stunning ascent on the ATP Tour, particularly in the 2023 season. Despite only making his ATP debut in July 2022 at the Atlanta Open, Shelton has swiftly climbed up the ATP Rankings, securing a career-high ranking of No. 35 on May 8, 2023.
Shelton's journey to his professional career was unconventional. As a child, he had no interest in tennis, favoring American football. He began playing tennis regularly at age 12, under the coaching of his father, Bryan Shelton, a former professional tennis player and college tennis coach.
The young player's rise to prominence began in his collegiate career with the Florida Gators. As a freshman in 2021, he clinched the Gators’ first team national championship with his victory in fifth singles. The following year, he won the men's singles title at the 2022 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships and was named the ITA National Player of the Year.
Despite his rapid success, Shelton had yet to play on red clay until his recent appearance at the Estoril Open in Portugal. His red clay debut was successful, with a straight-sets win against Constant Lestienne.
Previously, Shelton noted some differences between the red and green clay, stating that red clay seems softer and the bounces are better. He also indicated that he enjoys playing on the red clay more than green clay, which may be a positive sign for his upcoming appearance at Roland Garros.
Now, after a series of withdrawals, Shelton is slated to be a seeded player in his upcoming debut at Roland Garros. This gives him a good chance to reach at least the third round, where he will likely face one of the top four seeds.
