Ben Shelton’s father, Bryan Shelton, is a former professional tennis player and coach of the Florida Gators men’s tennis team. His mother, Lisa Witsken Shelton, was a top junior tennis player, and his uncle, Todd Witsken, also played professional tennis.
Ben’s sister, Emma, played college tennis at the University of Florida. Ben was born in Atlanta, Georgia when his father was coaching Georgia Tech’s women’s tennis team. He later graduated from Buchholz High School and now lives in Gainesville, Florida.
Early Life & Tenis Journey
As a child, Ben Shelton preferred football over tennis, despite his parents’ tennis backgrounds. He started playing tennis at 12, coached by his father, Bryan, who was a college tennis coach.
At 16, his father encouraged him to focus on competing in the U.S. rather than traveling abroad, which helped his development. Shelton became one of the top junior players in the U.S., reaching No. 3 in the USTA Boys’ 18s.
He committed to playing for the Florida Gators in 2020, coached by his father. As a freshman, he had a strong 28–5 record and helped Florida win its first NCAA national title. In his second year, he excelled, winning the NCAA Singles Championship and ending the season as the top-ranked college player.
He was named SEC and National Player of the Year. Although he planned to stay for his junior year and complete his finance degree, Shelton turned professional after his success at the 2022 Cincinnati Masters. He continues his education online.
Name |
Ben Shelton |
Profession |
Tennis Player |
Age |
21 years |
Date of Birth |
October 9, 2002 |
Nationality |
American |
Mother’s Name |
Lisa Witsken Shelton |
Father’s Name |
Bryan Shelton |
Net Worth |
$2 million |
Height |
6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
Social Media |
Instagram |
Internation Career
2022: Starting Strong
- Ben reached his first Challenger final in Georgia and then won his first ATP Tour match at the Atlanta Open.
- At the Cincinnati Masters, he beat top-100 player Lorenzo Sonego and world No. 5 Casper Ruud, earning his first top-10 win.
- He turned professional in August and debuted at the US Open but lost in the first round.
- Ben won three Challenger titles in a row, making history as the youngest player to do so and finished 2022 ranked No. 97 in the world.
2023: Breakthrough Year
- At the Australian Open, he reached the quarterfinals, moving into the top 50 rankings.
- He struggled during early American hard court tournaments but bounced back at the Indian Wells.
- At the US Open, Ben made his first Grand Slam semifinal before losing to Novak Djokovic, climbing to No. 19 in the rankings.
- He won his first ATP title at the Japan Open and reached the top 15 in October.
2024: Continued Success
- Ben won his first clay court title at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, becoming the youngest champion since 2002 and the youngest American No. 1 since 2004.
- He reached the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open and the third round of the US Open.
- At the Laver Cup, he was the standout player, earning the most points for Team World despite their loss to Team Europe.
2025: Steady Progress
- At the Australian Open, Ben reached the third round after strong wins over Brandon Nakashima and Pablo Carreno Busta.
Networth & Achievements
By January 6, 2025, Ben Shelton had earned a total of $5,497,682 in prize money from his professional tennis career, with $5.2 million of it coming from tournament winnings.
- Youngest American No. 1 since Andy Roddick.
- The first ATP title was in 2023, followed by a clay court title in 2024.
- Reached a Grand Slam semifinal at the 2023 US Open.
- They ended 2024 as one of the top American players.
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