Ben Shelton just shut down a reporter at his US Open press conference, and honestly, you can’t blame him.
The American tennis star has never been one to hold back. Whether he’s getting into heated exchanges with opponents on court or speaking his mind about big issues, Shelton says what he thinks.
That personality trait served him well when a journalist tried to downplay his major sponsorship deal.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Shelton | 23 | 2,590 | 19 - 11 |
The whole thing started when a reporter brought up Jack Draper’s recent switch from Nike to Vuori. Then they tried to compare it to Shelton’s partnership with On – the Swiss company that’s backed by Roger Federer.
"We’ve seen, this week, Jack Draper switched his clothing manufacturer. I just wanted, for you, what do you get from being, or what do you get out of the On partnership, and how important that sort of thing is to you as tennis players."
Shelton was confused. He asked the reporter to repeat the question.
"Basically, your sponsorship with On is kind of similar move that Jack’s made, he’s gone from Nike to Vuori. And I just wonder, for you, how important that sponsorship that you have with On is, what you get from it, compared to being with a different brand."
That’s when Shelton had enough.
He wasn’t about to let anyone suggest his sponsor was some small-time company. On is a massive athletic brand that’s been growing rapidly in recent years.
"So, On is not a big company? Did you see the earnings report a couple of weeks ago? Is not Nike or Adidas? Sorry, man. I don’t like that question."
You’ve got to respect that response. Shelton stood up for his partner and called out what seemed like a pretty unfair comparison.
Shelton’s Ready for His Biggest Moment
The 22-year-old is coming into this US Open with serious momentum.
For most of his career, his biggest win was an ATP 500 title in Tokyo back in 2023. That changed just a few weeks ago when he captured the Canadian Open in Toronto.
Now he’s ranked World No. 6 and looking like a real threat at his home Grand Slam.
"This is the biggest tournament of the year for me. This is the one. I put a lot of work into being in a good place when I got here. Feeling confident about my game. Feel really good and prepared going into this tournament."
Shelton knows exactly who he is as a player. He’s not trying to be someone else out there.
"I think I’m an entertainer at heart. But I have kind of figured out what state I need to be in to be locked in but also having fun at the same time. I’m never going to be the guy who is able to robotically go about my business and not change expression or show any emotion. I think that I play better when I do show some emotion."
That’s what makes him so fun to watch. Shelton brings energy and personality to every match.
He’s also not afraid to take on the biggest names in tennis when it matters most. With his recent success and that confidence he’s showing, this could be the tournament where he breaks through for his first Grand Slam title.
The US Open has always been special for American players. Having that home crowd behind you can make a huge difference, especially for someone who feeds off emotion like Shelton does.
