Ben Shelton played far below his level in his most recent match at the 2024 Roland Garros, losing easily, but he reminded everyone that he's just getting started.
This is only the young American's second full professional year on the ATP Tour, and he's outperformed expectations so far. Nobody really saw him having this kind of success when he showed up in Australia last year, but he's in the Top 20 with some really good showings across the board.
He plays his best tennis on hard courts, which isn't a surprise as he grew up on that surface, but he's been pretty solid on clay lately. He even won a trophy on clay this year, which is notable as he now has two trophies to his name, having won his maiden title last year in Tokyo.
That said, Roland Garros didn't go that well for him. He was beaten easily by Felix Auger-Aliasime. He wasn't just beaten; he was basically torn apart by the Canadian, and what's worse, he seemingly struggled with an injury.
The match was quite concerning from his side, but he had some words for his fans after the match. He admitted that he's not yet a finished product, and there will be performances like the one he had in Paris.
"I’m not a finished product. Far from that. I’m not where I want to be. I was a bit better on every clay tournament this year compared to last year."
The early loss in Paris might prove a blessing in disguise for the American, as he knows he has a chance to prepare better for the grass season. It's a surface that should better suit his style of play, and he's had some decent showings on it already.
He even admitted to the media that he's quite excited to return to grass.
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