Shelton’s lefty power claims Finals spot
A quarter-final push in Paris catapults Ben Shelton into his first Nitto ATP Finals, capping a season of bold serves and breakthrough wins that revive American hopes in Turin.
Under the echoing rafters of the Paris Masters, Ben Shelton‘s thunderous left-handed serve propelled him to the quarter-finals, sealing his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals on Thursday. This hard-fought qualification leaves just one spot open for the Turin finale, where the 22-year-old American arrives after a season blending raw power with growing tactical poise. The indoor hard courts demanded quick adjustments, his crosscourt forehands stretching opponents while deep returns neutralized big servers, turning potential pressure into momentum.
Early surges build unyielding confidence
Shelton’s 2025 campaign exploded from the start, storming to the semi-finals at the Australian Open where only eventual champion Jannik Sinner halted his charge in a grueling five-setter. The Melbourne hard courts, baked under relentless sun, amplified his aggressive inside-out forehands and booming serves, forging a mental edge that carried through the early months. By April, he reached the Munich final on clay, mixing slice approaches with net rushes to counter the surface’s drag, each match honing his patience amid rising expectations.
June brought a pivotal leap as he cracked the top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, becoming the fourth lefty from the United States to do so since 1973, joining Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Roscoe Tanner. This ascent, driven by consistent one–two punch combinations—serve followed by forehand winners—shifted the narrative from college standout to elite contender, though the spotlight intensified scrutiny on his ability to sustain intensity across surfaces.
Toronto triumph unlocks Masters glory
The season’s pinnacle arrived in Toronto, where Shelton, at 22, claimed his first ATP Masters 1000 title, the youngest American to do so since Andy Roddick triumphed in Miami at 21 in 2004. On those North American hard courts, his game sharpened: down-the-line backhands splitting defenders after forcing errors with deep returns, the crowd’s roar fueling his close in high-stakes moments. This victory, blending tactical depth with explosive athleticism, marked his second major semi-final run and silenced doubts about closing finals under pressure.
With Taylor Fritz already in the field, two Americans will now chase the Brad Drewett Trophy at the Nitto ATP Finals, the first such duo since 2006 when James Blake and Roddick competed—Blake advancing to the final that year. Shelton’s inclusion revives that legacy, pairing Fritz’s steady baseline play with his own serve dominance to challenge a stacked draw.
Turin field sets stage for lefty impact
Shelton joins Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, and Fritz in the lineup, with only two singles spots left as Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti hold seventh and eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin. The o2 arena’s tight confines and quick points will test his indoor adaptations, where lefty spin on returns could disrupt right-handers like Zverev during extended rallies. For the big-serving American, this debut promises not just survival but a chance to imprint his surging style on the year-end spectacle, extending a season of calculated risks into bold contention.
