Shelton and his secret of success: "I have spoken several times about tennis with Federer, his vision impressed me"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 6 Jul 2025 | 13.40

Ben Shelton, tactical intelligence. Photo: gettyimages

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There are people born to give their best in decisive moments, people who need big stages to thrive. Ben Shelton can be considered one of them, offering a premium version in Grand Slam tournaments and wandering the circuit in a much more modest way in other events. Already in the round of 16 at Wimbledon 2025, he discussed this in a press conference.

Young, charismatic, clearly progressing, with breathtaking tennis. It seems unbelievable that Ben Shelton doesn't attract more media attention and is perceived by most as a potential Grand Slam champion, especially when his best results have come in Grand Slams. The 22-year-old American wants to be a protagonist in Wimbledon 2025, and his reflections in the press conference after reaching the round of 16 and setting up a match with Lorenzo Sonego, show great maturity.

- What does playing in Grand Slams mean to him

"It's becoming quite normal for me to be in the second week of Grand Slams. I think when these events come around, I face them with more confidence because I know I've had great performances before and I love the five-set competition format with a day of rest in between. I feel like I haven't achieved anything significant by reaching the round of 16, so I'm going to keep working very hard to be ready for big battles," he explained.

- Advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed

"I feel like there are more and more left-handed tennis players on the circuit. The most important thing about being left-handed is being very quick with your hands when hitting with your forehand because most right-handed players hit very flat and powerful backhands. Being able to open up the court with my serve to their backhand side is a big advantage, but you have to be very tactically intelligent to find ways to maximize that aspect of your game," he commented.

- Game reading and tactical intelligence

"It's crucial to be able to make tactical adjustments during the match, especially in long matches like in Grand Slams. The key is to have a basic game plan that you feel very comfortable with and that you can apply in tense situations. Having key plays for pressure moments is fundamental, but you also need to have an open mind and adjust things in your overall game plan," he stated.

When asked about the smartest players on the circuit in this regard, Shelton is clear. "Fritz has a very analytical mindset, he knows why he wins or loses right after leaving the court. He talks to his team during the match, he tells them himself the adjustments he thinks he needs to make. Also, Tiafoe is very good at making decisions on the fly, processing everything very quickly. Although for me, what stood out the most were my conversations with Federer. He sees tennis constantly, he can simplify the game incredibly and has an extreme passion for this sport. I've talked to him several times about tennis tactics, and I was impressed," Ben said.

- Technical adjustments with his backhand

The fundamental idea ingrained in the collective imaginary about Ben Shelton is his fierce serving and powerful forehand. However, his backhand stroke is key to understanding his success. He explained it himself. "When I was young, I only hit sliced backhands because my topspin and flat shot was terrible. Over time, I've improved and now I use sliced backhands as an offensive shot to change the pace and force opponents to move. It's very effective on this surface," he commented.

"When attacked on the backhand side, I no longer use the slice because that gives the opponent an advantage. I worked a lot on my open stance flat backhand, being able to hit on the run and seize control of the point from the opponent. I had to do millions of repetitions in training, improve my athletic condition and my foot speed. I dedicate a lot of time in training to continue refining that aspect of my game," declared a player who could be Sinner's opponent in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2025.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton y su secreto del éxito: "He hablado varias veces de tenis con Federer, su visión me impresionó"