Ben Shelton's expressive personality on the court draws much attention, especially his tendency to speak in Spanish when pumped up. The ATP star has revealed why he does that.
Shelton is among the fieriest competitors in the sport. That edge means many have enjoyed watching his meteoric rise during the last few years, but some, including fellow players, have been irritated by his antics.
The American often shouts "vamos", Spanish for "come on", after winning points, games, sets, and matches. Using a foreign language to express satisfaction is quite unusual, and some have wondered why he does that.
Shelton played for the Florida Gators at the University of Florida before turning professional. In a feature for the ATP website about his time there, he explained that his teammates influenced his saying the Spanish word.
"I had a few Spanish-speaking teammates on my team at Florida who are some of my best friends, and it just became a thing for all of us on the University of Florida team."
That context makes it much more understandable. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with using a foreign language during a match, his saying "vamos" because of his Spanish-speaking teammates in Florida shows a long-running habit.
Andres Andrade, an Ecuadorian teammate of Shelton's in Florida, supports his use of the term and is happy he says it when celebrating with his box during ATP matches. Andrade thinks it helps the 22-year-old win matches.
"He’s always said it. He copied it from some of us on the team who used to celebrate like that, and he’s said it ever since. It’s one of the few words he knows in Spanish. I think it’s great that he shouts and celebrates with his box all the time, like at university. I know he has been criticised a lot for it, but long may it continue.I think it’s good to celebrate like that. It’ll help you win a lot of matches."
Abdullah Shelbayh, the former ATP world No. 181 and another of Shelton's former teammates in Florida, recounted the self-belief the American has always had, which remains today.
"He’s always been hungry for more. I remember that he always believed in himself, that he had the opportunity and the game to beat anyone. He was never intimidated by an opponent. I think that’s what helped him have his breakthrough on tour this year."
Is Shelton ready to reach the top?
Ben Shelton's 2025 season has been his best to date. He won a maiden 1000-level title at the 2025 Canadian Open, overcoming Karen Khachanov in a final that was briefly delayed because of the fans in Toronto wildly celebrating home hero Victoria Mboko's title run in Montreal.
Shelton benefited from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the dominant players in men's tennis since the start of 2024, not playing in Toronto. Three of Shelton's four Grand Slam losses have been to Alcaraz and Sinner. The other ended in retirement at the 2025 US Open.
Despite Shelton's significant improvements, Alcaraz and Sinner, who have won every Grand Slam men's singles title since the start of 2024, remain a cut above the rest.
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