The American couldn’t recover from the hump towards Alexander Zverev on Sunday in Arthur Ashe Stadium, however he vows to be again.
Chris OddoSeptember 13, 20262 minute learn
Ben Shelton got here inside one victory of ending the longest Grand Slam drought in American males’s tennis. As a substitute, he walked away from the US Open satisfied he nonetheless has an extended approach to go.
Alexander Zverev defeated Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday’s remaining, extending the await an American males’s Grand Slam singles champion to 23 years. Andy Roddick, on the 2003 US Open, stays the final to do it.
For Shelton, who falls to 0-6 lifetime towards Zverev, there was disappointment, but additionally delight — and maybe greater than something, motivation.
“I’m motivated,” Shelton mentioned. “Disenchanted with how immediately went. Proud of how I fought all through the week, two weeks. Excited with the progress that I really feel that I’ve made, however yeah, this one stings one hundred pc.”
Shelton wasn’t glad along with his execution towards Zverev, notably off the forehand. He felt too many attacking alternatives slipped away and recognized changing into extra deadly from that wing as one of many subsequent steps in his evolution.
That course of, he insists, is way from full.
“I don’t suppose I’m anyplace close to the participant that I need to be,” Shelton mentioned. “I believe I’m an excellent competitor. I believe I compete rather well on the market on the court docket.”
If the consequence harm, the expertise itself solely made Shelton need extra. He mentioned he loved the magical second of strolling onto Ashe forward of a significant remaining and known as the sensation addictive.
“Strolling out on that court docket immediately, there’s nothing prefer it,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means felt something like that earlier than. It’s an addicting feeling being in positions like this.”
Shelton has all the time seen himself as a late bloomer, accustomed to chasing gamers forward of him and progressively determining the way to attain their degree. His first Grand Slam remaining, even in defeat, is one other stage in that course of.
“I haven’t all the time been profitable the very first time that I’ve been in finals,” he mentioned. “I believe that it’s an ongoing course of for me.”
After spending latest majors watching the latter levels from house, Shelton lastly skilled what it was wish to be one of many final two gamers standing.
Now he desires to make it acquainted.
“To win on Sundays, you bought to play very, very excessive degree of nice tennis,” Shelton mentioned. “Simply acquired to be higher.
“Attempt to hold getting higher,” Shelton mentioned, “and present up in Australia even stronger than I confirmed up right here.”
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