Ben Shelton has had an up-and-down season on the ATP Tour, as the American continues his pursuit of a third career title.
The American has struggled to find consistency this year, with several early-round exits, despite making it to the final of the Munich Open recently, where Shelton lost to Zverev.
Shelton made the semi-final of the Australian Open, marking a strong start to the season, but since then hasn’t been able to get it going, with a record of ten wins and nine losses since the first major of 2025.
The 22-year-old still has his entire career ahead of him, and former world number one Andre Agassi recently discussed how he can best utilise those future years.
Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty ImagesAndre Agassi says Ben Shelton can ‘make great stuff happen’ in tennis
Speaking on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast, Agassi said: “I love Ben. I have known his Dad for many years and had the chance to meet his Mom, such a wonderful lady, they have done such a wonderful job with him.”
“I love his spirit, I love his athleticism. The guy is a force to be reckoned with. He has one of the liveliest arms you have ever seen.”
“There are a number of ways he can be better, I do believe. He is still really raw. So powerful, he can take the racket out of a lot of people’s hands, nobody wants to see him next to their name in the draw.”
“I think he can make life even a little easier for himself, but he is one of those guys who for two weeks can go to heaven and make some great stuff happen in the biggest moments in tennis, I really believe that.”
“I have never seen him in a situation where he feels outmatched. Every time he is out there in the biggest of moments, he looks like he wants that ball on his racket, and that is a great sign too, especially at such a young age.”
Every tournament result of Ben Shelton’s season so far
Following his Australian Open final-four appearance, Shelton went out in the Round of 16 at both the Dallas Open and the Mexican Open.
He showed promising signs in the first half of the ‘sunshine double’, overcoming Mariano Navone, Karen Khachanov, and Brandon Nakashima to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells, but ultimately fell to eventual champion Jack Draper.
Shelton then lost in the opening round of the Miami Open, as well as the Monte-Carlo Masters before enjoying his best run of the season in Munich.
The last two tournaments of the clay swing haven’t gone to plan for the world number 13, having crashed out of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open in the third and second round, respectively.
Shelton’s last title came in April 2024, when he emerged victorious at an ATP 250 event in Houston.