Casper Ruud jealous of Ben Shelton’s rocket serve, predicts big things for the American if he keeps his attitude in check

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Ben Shelton 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-3 in the first round of the Paris Masters.

Casper Ruud jealous of Ben Shelton’s rocket serve, predicts big things for the American if he keeps his attitude in check

(L) Casper Ruud; (R) Ben Shelton (Sources: Yahoo News Malaysia/Imago)

Ben Shelton did not have a good outing in the 2023 Paris Masters as he got knocked out in the very first round of the tournament by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. However, that did not put the American in the bad books of Norwegian tennis player Casper Ruud as he praised the youngster in his most recent interview and claimed that he had a big future ahead. 

He really impresses me. He never gives up. He keeps fighting, keeps hustling, and I've seen it many times before - he has a great attitude. You kind of feel surprised how fast it's gone for him. But I'm not surprised at the same time. 
Casper Ruud on Eurosport’s ‘Ruud Talk’

The Norwegian further added:

He's going to be dangerous for years to come and he is going to improve. As long as he keeps the right attitude and keeps working hard, there's no limit [to what he can achieve]. I wish I had that arm [for his serve]. It’s like 140-145mph. So it seems like a dream.

Talking about the match between the two, Davidovich Fokina won the first set of his match against Shelton in the tie-break and gained massive confidence. The American made a comeback in the second set, winning it after a great battle, but in the end, it did not matter as he could not keep up his performance in the third set and gave away the match. Alexander Davidovich Fokina won the match 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-3. 

FS Video

Ben Shelton’s meteoric rise in the 2023 season 

The 2023 season has been career-defining for Ben Shelton. He made a mark for himself in this season and ended up being regarded as one of the top male tennis talents in the USA after Taylor Fritz.

Shelton reached the semifinals of the 2023 US Open after a difficult campaign. Despite losing to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, he gained the love of millions of fans across the globe. 

Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton (Source: On Running)

Following his success in the 2023 US Open, the American went on to win the Japan Open by beating Aslan Karatsev in the finals 7-5, 6-1 in straight sets. He is continuously proving his worth at the biggest stages of the game and has a big and bright future ahead. 

In case you missed it: