Shelton hungry for more Grand Slam chances after US Open disappointment

New York - American tennis player Ben Shelton, 23, expressed his desire for more Grand Slam opportunities following his first Grand Slam final defeat at the US Open on Sunday. Shelton, who lost the match to Alexander Zverev in four sets, praised the exhilarating feeling of being in such a prestigious position. He had previously won a five-set victory over seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and fought back in the semi-finals against Frances Tiafoe.

Shelton, who had not advanced past the second round at the French Open and suffered a disappointing first-round exit at Wimbledon, felt motivated by these recent experiences. He lamented missing the majority of the most recent two Slams due to personal reasons, but stated that the loss in the final is equally motivating. Shelton, who has been breaking into the top 20 since 2023 after reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals, the US Open semi-finals, and winning his first ATP title in Tokyo, wants to become a consistent contender on the biggest tennis stages.

He admitted to being tired from the grueling physical and mental demands of playing near 30 sets over the past two weeks, but remains determined to improve his game. Shelton believes there is ample room for growth and emphasized that winning Grand Slam finals requires playing at an exceptionally high level of tennis, a feat that many of his opponents have already mastered.