'No Matter What You Say' Shelton Hesitant About Giving Clear Ambitions For 2024
ATP
Ben Shelton's rise was one of the stories of the 2023 season, but the 21-year-old is not publicly committing to precise goals for 2024.
Many have high expectations this season for the American, although Shelton did suffer a shock defeat this week at the ASB Classic in the semifinal to Taro Daniel. Very few in the tennis world saw that result coming.
Nevertheless, that one lapse will not dampen the hopes surrounding Shelton, especially on his favored hard courts. He reached the quarterfinal at the Australian Open and then the semifinal at the US Open last year.
Shelton starts his Australian Open against Roberto Bautista Agut. The Spaniard is 35-years-old now, but he is still a very tricky competitor. It will be a tough opening test for the American, and a good test of his level.
In a recent CNN interview ahead of the 2024 Australian Open, Shelton felt there was no point in revealing his season goals, as he may be criticized either way.
"I feel like no matter what you say in the press, someone's going to say, 'Oh, you shot too high or too low.' So I'm going to keep my results-based goals between me and my team."- Shelton on goals
However, Shelton was more open about the areas in which he has improved in the last 12 months. He picked three areas but said one in particular represented his biggest improvement.
"I'm much more solid from the baseline. I think I'm also more comfortable taking away time and coming to the net. But I'd say the biggest factor is probably my movement."- Shelton on improvements
Shelton, who will play the Dallas Open later in the season, gave particular credit to his father, Bryan, who has been his coach since June of last year and has overseen much of his improvements.
"There's no other person in the world who knows me better, what makes me tick, the things I'm good at, the things I need to improve on."- Shelton on his father
