Shelton instills fear: "I'm getting closer to where I want to be"

Ben Shelton has presented his title candidacy for the US Open 2026 with a great victory over a very complicated opponent like Hubert Hurkacz, playing at an extremely high level and leaving the door open for this to finally be the year he gets his first Grand Slam playing at home. In fact, he has acknowledged that matches like this help him gain confidence to reach the final rounds.

For the second consecutive year, Shelton comes off winning the ATP Montreal. In New York, he has a thorn in his side after his retirement last year due to injury in his match against Adrian Mannarino, so this is the perfect year to make a statement and go far. Without Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in the mix, his main rivals are likely to be Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, but he feels confident and is improving day by day to be able to challenge them.

Shelton explains his exuberant celebration after beating Hurkacz

I know I was never at a disadvantage in terms of the set score, but the momentum definitely shifted. That is, he raised his level when I was winning a set and a break, and the match went from being completely under my control to being up in the air. The second half of the match, the level I was playing, being able to come out of that match in four sets, and closing it like I did... I think I found many things regarding the playing style I want to show during the end of the match. 

That was very important for me. That's why the emotions came out at the end. I was super excited to have overcome it and relieved, obviously, because I thought I was serving wonderfully, moving well, not making errors from the back of the court, and it was a tough task today.

Important victory for the rest of the tournament

100%. Being battle-hardened is great. I don't think you want to play five-set matches all the time. Maybe I could have won this match more efficiently today, but I think a large part of the credit goes to him and the level he began to show. If he hadn't pressured me like he did today, there are many things I wanted to correct in the last few days that came out naturally and continued to improve throughout the match. So yes, I think you hit the nail on the head. Playing a match like this definitely benefits me for the future.

Shelton talks about his expectations heading into the US Open

I feel like I answer this question in every press conference, especially here in New York, in all of them. I don't remember the last time I thought about the drought of American titles, other than in press conferences. At the same time, we have the defending champion in this tournament. I think there are many players on a roll right now. I'm focused on my own game and the next round, thinking about how I can improve and continue to refine my game.

I think this is a tournament where I always want to perform well, where I would love to be competing and reach the second week. But you have to take it step by step. All the questions you asked, those thoughts, only arise or come to mind if I get ahead of myself, and that’s not what I want to do.

Pressure moments against a server like Hurkacz

I'm just trying to recover, recharge my energy. To be honest, that's the only thing I focus on. Yes, it's nice to come out of the changeover with the chance to hopefully break the serve and get ahead. The way he served today, especially on those break points, was frustrating because I thought I was putting myself in positions to break serve time and time again. 

I thought I returned well today. He kept serving key points. Aces on match points. Decisive plays. So I just had to wait for my chance to capitalize. But for sure, it's nice to serve first, to have that advantage, to have the other player on the ropes at the end of the sets, which didn’t happen in the second and third.

Shelton reveals what he wants to improve for the rest of the tournament

My serve is a key point. In the last match, at the beginning of today's match,
I wasn't hitting my backhand well. I think that's something I improved a lot throughout today's match. I always try to perfect the return, and I believe that almost every match where I have a good return day ends up being a victory for me. I think it's something that you gain by playing several matches on the same surface, starting to really feel the court, how the serve reacts when it bounces or the timing.

There are many factors that affect the return, depending on the environment, whether it's the background of the stadium screens or the way the ball reacts when it bounces. I think I'm getting closer to where I want to be. In these first two matches, I have faced players who served very well and had excellent serves, so it's good to be able to test myself that way and have to return a lot, stretching the ball in compromised positions, and trying to find a way to get it in the court. Obviously I'm working on everything and trying to refine every aspect, but those are the key points.

What has improved compared to previous years

I'm much better at returning. I'm a more versatile player. I can win in different ways. I don't have to limit myself to blasting serves to get easy points. There are other ways to build the point and be effective. I move much better and defend better. I think the number of breaks I achieve, or my break points, has increased significantly over the years, and I think that overall, I'm a smarter player.

Next match against Shapovalov

Yes, I love playing against him. I think it’s a fun and entertaining match. He seems to me to be an exceptional player and a great striker. As you said, he is electrifying on the court, and every match we’ve played has been a lot of fun. It’s always a different challenge to play against a lefty. I’m looking forward to going out on the court and proving myself.

The legacy of Arthur Ashe

It means a lot. Without Arthur Ashe, my dad probably would never have played tennis or had the opportunities he had to get this far in the sport. This sport has given a lot to my family. It’s great to be able to recognize that and be part of history every time I play in a stadium that bears his name. It’s a great honor for the biggest stadium in tennis to bear your name, and it’s very well deserved. There are many other pioneers as well. Not just Americans, but people of color from many different countries who, in some way, paved the way for us to have the opportunities we have today, including my dad. Yes, I am very grateful. Every opportunity I have to play in this stadium is an honor for me, and I enjoy it more than anything else in this sport.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton mete miedo: "Cada vez estoy más cerca de donde quiero estar"