Latest news with #BryanShelton
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Box-office Ben Shelton has won the hearts of British tennis fans despite his taunts, writes DAVID COVERDALE... and he's now primed to derail world No 1 Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon
He has described a full English breakfast as 'garbage', complained that our roads are the worst in the world, and even poked fun at Annabel Croft. And yet brash Ben Shelton has won the hearts of British tennis fans on his way to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. When he steps on to No 1 Court to play top seed Jannik Sinner, there is no doubt the crowd will be chiming for Big Ben. In appearance, sleeveless Shelton has evoked memories of another left-hander, Rafa Nadal, the only man to win Wimbledon in a vest. In playing style, he has based his game on another big server, Andy Roddick, the last American man to reach the final here and also to win a Grand Slam. But in personality, box-office Shelton stands alone. You need only listen to his on-court interviews, which have become a must-watch throughout this tournament. Following his third-round win over Marton Fucsovics, the 22-year-old issued a public plea to get his sister Emma more time off work so she could stay at Wimbledon to support him. Her employers Morgan Stanley duly obliged. Then, after beating Lorenzo Sonego in the last 16, he teased interviewer Croft when she asked him about being a 'quarterbacker' as a child. As it goes, Shelton believes the bullet arm he honed throwing American footballs helped him develop his formidable serve, which was clocked at 150mph earlier this year, one of the fastest of all time. Adding to Shelton's story is the fact he is coached by his father Bryan, who reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 1994. But another ever-present in his box here has been doting girlfriend Trinity Rodman. The 23-year-old is a USA footballer and the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman. She is estranged from her dad and was furious when pundit Andrew Castle mentioned him on BBC commentary. 'My dad's not even in MY life,' Rodman — who Castle also mistakenly called Tiffany — wrote on Instagram. 'No need to bring him up during HIS matches when I don't want him talked about during mine.' Having a celebrity partner, of course, only adds to the stardust of Shelton, who has 1million followers on Instagram and 430,000 on TikTok and is already a hero to youngsters in the US. 'He is a guy kids can relate to,' James Blake, the American former world No 4, told Mail Sport. 'With the TikTok generation, they are all seeing him and looking up to him. Every young player wants to be like him. I was at a junior tournament recently and I saw a kid who had the same hair, the same sleeveless outfit and did everything mimicking Ben. 'He is a really good role model. He's still got a college attitude. He's engaging with the crowd. He's having fun.' Shelton will hope that fun continues today against Sinner. The 10th seed has lost his last five meetings against the Italian world No 1. But there will be no better time for Shelton to play Sinner. who is nursing an elbow injury he sustained in his lucky fourth-round escape against Grigor Dimitrov, who was forced to retire injured when holding a two-set advantage. Sinner had an MRI scan yesterday morning and later cancelled his afternoon practice session, but did hit some balls indoors for 30 minutes. His injury has US fans believing they could be about to see their first men's winner of Wimbledon since Pete Sampras beat Patrick Rafter to win the last of his seven titles 25 years ago, with Taylor Fritz already into the semi-finals. The fifth seed defeated Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 in yesterday's quarter-final to set up a last-four showdown with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. In doing so, 27-year-old Fritz became the first American man to reach a Wimbledon semi since John Isner seven years ago. 'It's an amazing feeling,' said the US Open runner-up. 'I'm feeling great to get through it. The match was going so well for me for two sets. I felt I couldn't miss and then all of sudden I'm making a ton of mistakes. 'I've never had a match just flip so quickly, so I'm happy with how I came back in the fourth set and got it done. Having played the quarter-finals here twice, and lost in five sets twice, I don't think I could have taken another one. I'm happy I'm going to play the semis here.' Before that, though, it is Big Ben's time.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Who are Ben Shelton's parents Bryan and Lisa?
BEN Shelton just surpassed his dad's best run at Wimbledon by reaching the quarter-finals. The world No. 10 came from a set down to defeat Lorenzo Sonego in a thrilling match-up — here we get to know Ben's parents, who were cheering him on from the stands. 4 Ben Shelton pictured with his coach and father Bryan Shelton after winning the 2024 US Mens Clay Court Championships Credit: Getty 4 Bryan and Lisa Shelton celebrating their son's fourth round victory over Lorenzo Sonego at Wimbledon 2025 Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 4 Bryan Shelton was also a tennis pro Credit: Getty Rising His parents both had tennis careers of their own, as well as playing a crucial role in shaping their son's journey as a professional athlete. Members of Ben's family have been supporting him at Wimbledon 2025. After defeating Marton Fucsovics, the rising US star said: "I've been playing well this week. It's not just been me here, I have a great team. read more on ben shelton "My parents are here, my girlfriend's here. Also, my sister's here. She's been here for every match I've played at this tournament so far. Ben's dad Bryan Shelton Bryan Shelton is a former professional tennis player who competed on the ATP Tour during the 1990s. He reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 55 in the world. In 1992, Bryan went on a deep run at the French Open, making it all the way to the final of the mixed doubles alongside Lori McNeil. Most read in Sport Another of his highlights was making the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1994 — a feat his son just surpassed by reaching the quarter-finals — showcasing his talent the biggest of stages. After retiring from playing, Bryan transitioned into coaching. Shelton's sister celebrates securing week off work to watch brother at Wimbledon He served as the head coach of the Georgia Tech women's tennis team from 1999, before taking the helm of the University of Florida men's tennis program in 2012. Under his leadership, the Gators won the 2021 NCAA Championships — the first national title in the school's history — cementing his reputation as one of the top college tennis coaches in the US. Bryan has also worked with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as a national coach, helping to develop American tennis talent. His experience as both a player and coach has been invaluable to Ben. He's got some good blood running through him, that's for sure Bryan Shelton New York Times Growing up with a father who understands the demands of professional tennis gave Ben a unique advantage. Bryan has been directly involved in coaching Ben — helping to develop his son's game, strategy and mental toughness. Ben has opened up about the benefits of having his dad as a coach, highlighting how his guidance has been a cornerstone of his success. At a press conference during the 2023 Australian Open, Ben said: "He's definitely been the biggest influence in my tennis. 'Being a former pro, going through this whole process in a similar way… "To be able to learn from him, with all the life experience he has, it wasn't just an easy street for him, so he knows all of the hardships and struggles of being out here, making it on tour — it's priceless to be able to have that knowledge and that person to go to. 'His tennis analytical mind is one of the best I've ever seen.' 4 (From left to right) Bryan Shelton, Lisa Shelton, Trinity Rodman and Emma Shelton cheering Ben on at Wimbledon 2025 Credit: Getty And his parents are equally aware of their influence over Ben's game. In 2022, Bryan told the New York Times: "We kid around, like which genes is Ben playing with, the Shelton genes or the Witsken genes? "He's got some good blood running through him, that's for sure." Ben's mom Lisa Witsken Shelton Lisa Witsken Shelton also has a rich background in tennis. She was a highly ranked junior player and competed at the collegiate level. Her brother Todd Witsken was also a professional tennis player who achieved a top 50 ATP singles ranking. He was known for his doubles game — he reached as high as No. 4 in the world in the doubles rankings. Lisa eventually shifted her focus away from competitive tennis and pursued a career outside of sports. But she remains an avid supporter of Ben's athletic pursuits, cheering him on from the sidelines with her husband at many of her son's tournament appearances.
Al Arabiya
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Wimbledon: Ben Shelton beats Sonego again to reach the quarterfinals with his sister still around
Ben Shelton reached his first Wimbledon quarterfinal–doing a round better than his father-turned-coach Bryan did in 1994–by beating Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5 on Monday. Shelton, a 22-year-old American who won the 2022 NCAA singles title for the University of Florida, improved to 3-0 against Italy's Sonego in Grand Slam action this season. It's the first time two men faced each other in a year's initial three majors since John McEnroe went 3-0 against Jimmy Connors in 1984. The 10th-seeded Shelton also eliminated Sonego in the Australian Open's quarterfinals in January and the French Open's first round in May. 'Every time I need a big point, he comes up with a highlight shot,' Shelton said, 'and maybe the same vice versa.' Shelton finished this latest meeting with a flourish, breaking the 47th-ranked Sonego to avoid heading to a tiebreaker, then throwing his head back, yelling 'Come on!' and pounding his chest. 'I'm happy with the way that I played that last game. I feel like that was my best tennis, my best returning, and that's what I'm going to need to continue in this tournament,' said Shelton, who advanced to a matchup against No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov. 'So for me to end the match with that sort of game gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.' Up in the stands at No. 1 Court were Shelton's parents, his sister Emma–who stuck around at the All England Club after he made a public plea for her not to have to return to her job at Morgan Stanley on Monday as originally planned–and his girlfriend, US national soccer team star Trinity Rodman. 'I've got a lot of people that I love over there,' Shelton said during his on-court interview. He credited his father with inspiring the way he plays on grass courts. 'He was in the round of 16 here–31 years ago? Give or take. He was a serve-and-volleyer. Big serve. Came forward all the time. He would like to see me coming forward a little bit more than I am. My argument is I think I'm better than him from the baseline,' Shelton said. 'But he's also showing that he has a knack for success on the slick surface, doing the sorts of things that constitute what Shelton termed vintage style tennis of moving forward and cutting off angles and generally being a little bit unpredictable.' Against Sonego, Shelton won the point on 43 of his 58 trips to the net, including 11 of 17 when serve-and-volleying. If he can produce those sorts of numbers in his next match, that could help get him to a third career Grand Slam semifinal after the 2023 US Open and this year's Australian Open.
Washington Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Wimbledon: Ben Shelton beats Sonego again to reach the quarterfinals with his sister still around
LONDON — Ben Shelton reached his first Wimbledon quarterfinal — doing a round better than his father-turned coach, Bryan, did in 1994 — by beating Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5 on Monday. Shelton, a 22-year-old American who won the 2022 NCAA singles title for the University of Florida, improved to 3-0 against Italy's Sonego in Grand Slam action this season. It's the first time two men faced each other in a year's initial three majors since John McEnroe went 3-0 against Jimmy Connors in 1984. The 10th-seeded Shelton also eliminated Sonego in the Australian Open's quarterfinals in January, and the French Open's first round in May. 'Every time I need a big point, he comes up with a highlight shot,' Shelton said, 'and maybe the same, vice versa.' Shelton finished this latest meeting with a flourish, breaking the 47th-ranked Sonego to avoid heading to a tiebreaker, then throwing his head back, yelling 'Come on!' and pounding his chest. 'I'm happy with the way that I played that last game. I feel like that was my best tennis, my best returning, and that's what I'm going to need to continue in this tournament,' said Shelton, who advanced to a matchup against No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov. 'So for me to end the match with that sort of game gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.' Up in the stands at No. 1 Court were Shelton's parents, his sister Emma — who stuck around at the All England Club after he made a public plea for her not to have to return to her job at Morgan Stanley on Monday, as originally planned — and his girlfriend, U.S. national soccer team star Trinity Rodman. 'I've got a lot of people that I love over there,' Shelton said during his on-court interview. He credited his father with inspiring the way he plays on grass courts. 'He was in the round of 16 here — 31 years ago? Give or take. He was a serve-and-volleyer. Big serve. Came forward all the time. He would like to see me coming forward a little bit more than I am. My argument is I think I'm better than him from the baseline,' Shelton said. But he's also showing that he has a knack for success on the slick surface, doing the sorts of things that constitute what Shelton termed 'vintage style' tennis of moving forward and cutting off angles and generally being 'a little bit unpredictable.' Against Sonego, Shelton won the point on 43 of his 58 trips to the net, including 11 of 17 when serve-and-volleying. If he can produce those sorts of numbers in his next match, that could help get him to a third career Grand Slam semifinal, after the 2023 U.S. Open and this year's Australian Open. ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: . More AP tennis:
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wimbledon: Ben Shelton beats Sonego again to reach the quarterfinals with his sister still around
Lorenzo Sonego of Italy waves to the crowd after losing the men's singles fourth round match against Ben Shelton of the U.S. at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Shelton's parents Bryan Shelton and Lisa Witsken Shelton, from left, girlfriend Trinity Rodman and sister Emma Shelton watch Ben Shelton of the U.S. winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Lorenzo Sonego of Italy waves to the crowd after losing the men's singles fourth round match against Ben Shelton of the U.S. at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Shelton's parents Bryan Shelton and Lisa Witsken Shelton, from left, girlfriend Trinity Rodman and sister Emma Shelton watch Ben Shelton of the U.S. winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Ben Shelton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's singles fourth round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) LONDON (AP) — Ben Shelton reached his first Wimbledon quarterfinal — doing a round better than his father-turned coach, Bryan, did in 1994 — by beating Lorenzo Sonego 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 7-5 on Monday. Shelton, a 22-year-old American who won the 2022 NCAA singles title for the University of Florida, improved to 3-0 against Italy's Sonego in Grand Slam action this season. It's the first time two men faced each other in a year's initial three majors since John McEnroe went 3-0 against Jimmy Connors in 1984. Advertisement The 10th-seeded Shelton also eliminated Sonego in the Australian Open's quarterfinals in January, and the French Open's first round in May. 'Every time I need a big point, he comes up with a highlight shot,' Shelton said, 'and maybe the same, vice versa.' Shelton finished this latest meeting with a flourish, breaking the 47th-ranked Sonego to avoid heading to a tiebreaker, then throwing his head back, yelling 'Come on!' and pounding his chest. 'I'm happy with the way that I played that last game. I feel like that was my best tennis, my best returning, and that's what I'm going to need to continue in this tournament,' said Shelton, who advanced to a matchup against No. 1 Jannik Sinner or No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov. 'So for me to end the match with that sort of game gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.' Advertisement Up in the stands at No. 1 Court were Shelton's parents, his sister Emma — who stuck around at the All England Club after he made a public plea for her not to have to return to her job at Morgan Stanley on Monday, as originally planned — and his girlfriend, U.S. national soccer team star Trinity Rodman. 'I've got a lot of people that I love over there,' Shelton said during his on-court interview. He credited his father with inspiring the way he plays on grass courts. 'He was in the round of 16 here — 31 years ago? Give or take. He was a serve-and-volleyer. Big serve. Came forward all the time. He would like to see me coming forward a little bit more than I am. My argument is I think I'm better than him from the baseline,' Shelton said. Advertisement But he's also showing that he has a knack for success on the slick surface, doing the sorts of things that constitute what Shelton termed 'vintage style' tennis of moving forward and cutting off angles and generally being 'a little bit unpredictable." Against Sonego, Shelton won the point on 43 of his 58 trips to the net, including 11 of 17 when serve-and-volleying. If he can produce those sorts of numbers in his next match, that could help get him to a third career Grand Slam semifinal, after the 2023 U.S. Open and this year's Australian Open. ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis:
