Ben Shelton’s ATP Finals debut did not go to plan, as he lost his opening match to Alexander Zverev on Sunday.
Shelton was leading 4-0 and 6-3 in the second-set tie-break, but let the advantage slip, handing the match to Zverev.
The 23-year-old has made steady progress in recent months, and qualifying for this event was a real achievement, especially after picking up an injury at the US Open.
Following a challenging draw for the ATP Finals, Shelton’s prospects for advancing were further hampered by his loss to Zverev.
Ben Shelton caught off guard by something Alexander Zverev did
Zverev had been dealing with some fitness concerns heading into the match but showed no signs of any issues during his straight-sets victory.
Shelton struggled to find answers throughout, and the German’s performance was well worth the win.
Afterwards, the American star admitted there was one thing Zverev did that really surprised him.
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s the serve. I think it’s what I do after the serve. I think Sascha is one of the best second-serve returners in the world. How much length he gets, how long his arms are, he can cover the whole court. He’s a very difficult player to serve and volley against. He makes it very, very difficult.
“I definitely wouldn’t say anything is wrong with my second serve. I think that I have one of the best second serves in the world. I think that usually, the stats show that.
“A guy like him exposed some things tonight. With me overplaying with my forehand, not winning with my forehand at a high percentage as I would have liked to, I think that’s kind of what contributed to that percentage being a bit lower.
“Only five points is hard to believe. I’m going to go check that later,” Shelton said in his press conference.
Ben Shelton must bounce back quickly
Getting back on track will not be straightforward for Shelton, especially with Jannik Sinner and the in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime still to come.
This loss is a setback for the 23-year-old, particularly after letting the second set slip away against Zverev. The pressure is on now to regroup quickly and keep his chances alive.
It has been a challenging stretch for Shelton since his injury, and it is possible he is using the ATP Finals more as a chance to gauge where he stands ahead of the 2025 season.
But at 23, there is still plenty of time for him to climb the rankings and add major titles to his name. This defeat will sting, but how he responds now could shape the next stage of his career.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
