NCAA champion Ben Shelton turns pro; to be managed by Federer’s TEAM8
Ben Shelton won the NCAA singles title earlier this year and has already climbed to No 171 in the world rankings
Ben Shelton at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati
Image Credit: AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic
American teenager Ben Shelton, who has made a splash on the men’s tour over the past few weeks, has decided to turn professional.
While making the announcement, Shelton said that he will continue pursuing his finance degree online, describing the decision as “not easy”.
Ben Shelton has been at the University of Florida for the past two seasons. He posted 65-10 singles record in his first two seasons for University of Florida, winning 2021 NCAA team title and 2022 NCAA singles title.
The self-confessed Roger Federer fan, who makes his Grand Slam debut at the US Open next week, is coached by his father Bryan Shelton, a former World No. 55.
The 19-year-old left-hander is already ranked No 171 in the world, after reaching the round of 16 at the Cincinnati Masters (where he beat fifth-ranked Casper Ruud and world No 56 Lorenzo Sonego) and at the Atlanta Open. That makes him the third highest ranked teenager on the ATP Tour after Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.
He also reached two finals on the ATP Challenger Tour this year (Chicago and Rome) and the semi-finals at two others (Arkansas and Indianapolis).
Shelton will be managed by TEAM8, the sports management agency co-founded by Roger Federer and Tony Godsick.
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