Ben Shelton, in the wake of reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals, has shared what his relationship with Andy Roddick is really like.
Asked to speak about the legendary American, who retired from singles in 2012, his young compatriot was more than happy to praise the big-serving former tennis star.
As a three-time finalist at the All-England Club, felled on each occasion by the legendary Roger Federer, his legacy whenever Wimbledon rolls around remains unflinching for American tennis.
Arguably the unluckiest tennis player ever, had it not been for one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Andy Roddick’s trophy cabinet would look a lot fuller.
Alas, his career was sparkling, and one that Ben Shelton would be happy to emulate.
Ben Shelton reveals he’s been given advice by Andy Roddick
Speaking at his post-match press conference, after battling through against Lorenzo Sonego at a third straight Grand Slam, one reporter sought to turn attention to a fellow American.
They wanted to know what Shelton’s relationship with Roddick was really like and if he had ever studied him ahead of the grass-court season; the 22-year-old was more than happy to oblige.
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
“Yeah, I wasn’t really playing tennis yet when he was still playing,” he began. “Obviously, we’ve seen a ton of tape now.
“He had a nuke, bigger server than me. He could run all day. He was a grinder, just a physical beast, and yeah, so someone that I’ve looked up to for inspiration, massive forehand, great footwork, and someone who’s, you know, been there along the way, sending some messages, giving some advice.
“Not always directly, but through my dad or, through Dean Goldfine, who was coaching me when I first came on tour, and it’s kind of just been a great resource as another, you know, American who did a lot of things that I’d like to do in this sport, and did them at a really young age, so it seems like everything that I’ve done, it’s the first to be done since him, so he’s got me beaten, you know, pretty much every category.
“But no, it’s pretty cool to, you know, be mentioned in the same sentences as him, and yeah, definitely. Look up to him and think very highly.”
Ben Shelton will now look to upset Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon
Given how close Dimitrov was to completing the ultimate upset last night, Shelton will likely feel really buoyed about his chances of defeating the world number one.
Especially after Sinner was sent away for an MRI scan on his elbow after the match, with fears over his fitness looming.
The boisterous American boasts an explosive, relentless game that could really pose a threat to Sinner, especially if he is in a distressed physical state.
He did not look himself against Dimitrov, and the Bulgarian was fully capitalising on that until disaster struck.
A truly devastating moment for tennis fans, Shelton will hope to pick up where the 34-year-old left off and give the Wimbledon crowd a real treat after such harrowing scenes last night.