Written by Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 20, 2025
Photo credit: ROLEX
Congratulations Gael Monfils he gave to the young man Ben Shelton vibrations.
Facing his tennis hero for the first time at the Australian Open left Shelton cold.
More: Sinner and Cahill will be separated after 2025
The 22-year-old Shelton led Monfils 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 1-0 when the 38-year-old Frenchman retired in their AO fourth-round match. from a back injury after two hours, 57 minutes of physical play.
The left-handed Shelton ended his eight-match winning streak at one round after an inspired Monfils upset the US Open final. Taylor Fritz with the best win of the third round.
The experience gave Shelton “goosebumps.”
Afterwards Shelton said that playing the fun Monfils is a challenge because it’s an emotional journey: from a fan to a fierce competitor.
“It’s always difficult. The little kid in me always wants to see Gael win,” said Shelton to the media in Melbourne. “I always want to see him hit a highlight reel and a trick shot.
“It’s like the players are always angry when the crowd opposes them or doesn’t want them, but to be honest, all I can do today is to thank his fans. It was just a cool moment for me to be a part of. Obviously they were cheering for me, the whole stadium, but that’s the kind of stuff that gets you bumped up, stuff that you live for.”
This was their first professional meeting, but Monfils and Shelton shared a bond—and admiration.
The 21-year-old Shelton revealed that after his run to the 2023 AO quarterfinals when he struggled to lose 11 first-round matches in one bad spell, it was the inspirational Monfils who gave him a “deep talk” and shared valuable advice. .
Monfils, who has reached at least 19 consecutive ATP finals, told Shelton the main reason he stays motivated and involved in the game is to find out what tournaments he really likes to play and plans his schedule around those events. you are very relaxed.
“It was that run in 2023 where I lost a lot of games in a row or I lost early in a lot of tournaments in a row,” said Shelton. “He said to me, like, ‘You know, it was important for him in his career to find places that he liked to play, and he focused on those weeks and he did very well in those weeks and he knew that there were places that he played. he doesn’t like to play and he doesn’t stress much.
“That’s how he manages to keep the passion for the game, and you can see this. He’s still entertaining crowds at the age of 38, which is impressive.
“Obviously you’ve done it in a way that you can still love it and enjoy it. It’s long seasons. It’s definitely an easy game to burn. Every game it’s not like you have a team that can pick up the heat if you’re a vet and you can play small minutes. No, you have to be there for every point.”
Dealing with the incredible athleticism and theatrics of Monfils is a mental test, too, Shelton said.
Magical Monfils can give off such good vibes, Shelton said, that they can lull you into a false sense of relaxation. The French’s expansive body language can be deceiving. Seeing Monfils bend at the waist and take a deep breath isn’t always a sign of fatigue—sometimes it’s a setup, Shelton said.
“It’s something you love, but you try to suppress that while you’re playing to stay focused,” Shelton said. “He’s a guy who once you get into it, you smile the whole game. And then, oh, wow, I’m down two sets? It is beaten by me.
“So he’s a guy who should always be locked up inside. I think one of the things he did very well, obviously he wasn’t at 100% today and at the end of the game he got a bit winded, but sometimes he plays hard. he looks really tired and you can serve to him with his hands on his knees and serve a wide bomb that he throws and it’s in the corner past you.
“You can say, ahh, I fell into a trap. It’s kind of a tough back and forth. Apparently that’s his way of dealing with fatigue on the court. But he plays it sometimes, and I think, like, he has a lot more in the tank than he shows sometimes. “
2023 US Open semifinalist Shelton will face 55th-ranked Italy Lorenzo Sonego for a place in the semi-finals.
Lankly Sonego has been a murderous problem in Oz. Sonego started the tournament by defeating Stan Wawrinka and then defeated the Brazilian Joao Fonseca after the interruption of the qualifying match. Andrei Rublev before beating the talented 19-year-old American player Student Tien in the fourth round.
“For me, it’s a sense of urgency,” Shelton said of wanting to reach his first final. “Knowing that, okay, to get here, you might have done some great things and played some great tennis, but there’s a new game in front of you, and if someone’s in the quarterfinals or the semifinals, they’re close. with the best version of themselves. ”
