Ben Shelton didn't take a week off after his maiden trophy run in Tokyo, and his father revealed that it was never on the table either.
Ben Shelton is truly one of the most amazing competitors on the ATP Tour. We've seen him produce some sensational efforts in what is essentially his first season among the professionals.
He will likely finish the year among the Top 15 players, which is a huge achievement for a player who was barely in the Top 100 a year ago.
The recently-concluded Japan Open saw him win his maiden ATP Trophy, but unlike most players, he didn't even think about taking a week off after that effort. Despite playing a lot of tennis recently, Shelton quickly made his way to Vienna, where he ultimately lost to Jannik Sinner, but it showed how competitive he is.
Despite obviously being fatigued and tired, the American still took the court and actually played a fairly decent match against a very good player. He never even thought about withdrawing, which his father confirmed in an exclusive interview with Ubitennis.
We left Tokyo yesterday (Monday), and we’ve just arrived here (Vienna). I must say he’s eager to play now. Many players, after a tournament, might think about taking a week off, but he never even considered a break. He wants to play again, you know? He loves the challenge.
I like that he has that attitude because I think it’s special. Even when he’s not feeling 100%, he doesn’t look for excuses; he wants to compete. He wants to train; he wants to push. We just have to make sure he doesn’t push too hard.
There will be time to rest for Shelton, who wishes to finish the year on a high note. He's got the Paris Masters coming up, with the Sofia Open next, and also the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah. Then, not long after that, it's time for the Australian Open again.