The Washington Open had a bit of everything: upsets, comebacks, heartbreaks. For Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, it was a tough pill to swallow. The Spaniard stood just one point away from the title three times, only to watch Alex de Minaur snatch it away from him. The Australian held his nerve in the final to clinch the DC title, giving his ATP ranking a sharp boost. But get this, a player who didn’t even reach the final has walked away with a career milestone! Ben Shelton is at a new career high. How? Let’s dive in!
Many of the top 10 names sat out last week, but there was still movement near the top. Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner remains safe at No. 1 with a 3,430-point lead over Carlos Alcaraz. Still, three players inside the top 10 have shifted spots after Washington, including De Minaur and Shelton.
De Minaur’s title pushed him up five spots to world No. 8, bringing him back into the top 10. But despite losing in the semis, Shelton has leapfrogged one place ahead to No. 7, according to the live ATP rankings. That’s right, the American is now at a new career-best for the third time, sitting 185 points above De Minaur. It’s been a steady climb for the 22-year-old. Shelton first broke into the top 10 earlier this year, jumping from No. 12 to No. 10 after a semifinal in Stuttgart. He backed that up with his first quarterfinal showing at Wimbledon. The points from those events gave him the cushion he needed to keep climbing, and now he’s sitting at No. 7.
Image courtesy – Imago
The Citi Open didn’t go his way, but the ranking jump reflects how consistent his season has been. He’s now the first American man born in the 2000s to crack the top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings. Three years ago, Shelton had just entered the top 500 and was still unsure if he would even go pro after his sophomore year at the University of Florida.
That’s a rapid rise by any standard. He’s also only the fourth American left-hander to make the top 10 since the rankings began in 1973. The other three? Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Roscoe Tanner.
Ben Shelton is dropping 190 points this week, but with Toronto up next, he’s got a solid chance to earn them right back.
Ben Shelton Eyes Redemption as Toronto Open Begins
Against Davidovich Fokina, Ben Shelton struggled to find his rhythm. He landed just 55% of his first serves and lost 42% of the points in his service games. That opened the door, and the Spaniard stepped right through it.
Playing in front of a home crowd, Shelton couldn’t turn it around. There was also a controversial let call that disrupted his momentum. But the bright side? Even with that loss, his rankings position improved. And now, he’s got a fresh opportunity on the horizon. Especially since the draw has opened up. With Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic all skipping Toronto, the top section of the draw feels wide open.
Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev are also in the Toronto field, and neither will be easy to crack. The 22-year-old will need to clean up the shaky service numbers from DC and bring the consistency he’s been aiming for.
That’s something he’s spoken about recently, the desire to play his best not just at the Slams but throughout the calendar. With more points on the line and a favorable draw, this week could help him prove it. Can he turn this wide-open field into his breakout Masters moment? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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