Ben Shelton achieved something that many tennis experts are calling remarkable. The 22-year old American left-hander made his way into the ATP Top 10 for the first time on Jun. 16, 2025. He reached a career-high ranking of World No. 10 after his semifinal run at the Stuttgart Open. His success on the grass courts pushed him into this tennis elite list.
What’s even more special about this feat is the pace at which Shelton achieved this ranking. Fellow American tennis player Christopher Eubanks acknowledged this sentiment perfectly in his Instagram story, captioned: “Top 10 in 2.5 years on tour is nuts,” while tagging Shelton.
Shelton turned professional only in August 2022, making his rise to Top 10 one of the fastest in recent memory.
Ben Shelton: From College Champion to Professional Star
Shelton’s path to professional tennis success began at the University of Florida, where he was coached by his father, Bryan Shelton. His college career was outstanding, with many achievements that set the stage for his professional breakthrough.
In 2021, Shelton played a crucial role in Florida’s first-ever NCAA team championship in his freshman year. He won the title-clinching match that secured the Gators their historic national trophy. As a sophomore, he dominated college tennis by emerging victorious in the 2022 NCAA Singles Championship.
Shelton finished with a staggering 65-10 college record across both seasons, including 37-5 in his final season. He posted a remarkable 24-2 career record, going 17-1 in his sophomore year in tournaments. He became the 2022 ITA National Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year, giving him the recognition.
At the Cincinnati Masters 2022, Shelton defeated World No. 5 Casper Ruud as a wild card entry. This victory over a top-10 player made him enter the professional ranks in August 2022.
Rapid Rise of Ben Shelton Through Professional Rankings
Since his professional debut, Shelton’s climb up the ATP rankings has been steady and impressive. He achieved two ATP singles in just under three years, the 2023 Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo and the 2024 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships. He defeated Frances Tiafoe at the clay courts to become the youngest champion since Andy Roddick in 2002.
His performance in the Grand Slams has been impressive with reaching the quarterfinals at the 2023 Australian Open in just his second major tournament. He then improved his gameplay and reached the semifinals at the 2023 US Open. He matched the same achievement by reaching the semifinals at Australian Open this year.
Milestone unlocked 🔓
Welcome to the Top 10, Ben Shelton 👏 #PIF | #ATPRankings | #Partner pic.twitter.com/qcP4gN61eD
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 16, 2025
Shelton now became the seventh player born in the 2000s to reach the ATP Top 10, the first American to achieve this feat. He now joins Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul as the third American in the Top 10 for the first time since Andre Agassi, James Blake and Andy Roddick acommplished this in April 2006.
This rise to the ATP top 10 by Ben Shelton is arguable one of the most impressive breakthrough in recent tennis history. His journey from college champion to professional elite in just 2.5 years is indeed “nuts” as stated by Christopher Eubanks.
