Ben Shelton made history on Jun. 16, 2025, when he cracked the ATP top 10 for the first time in his career. The 22-year-old American rose from No. 12 to No. 10 after reaching his first grass-court semifinal at the Stuttgart Open.
This achievement made him the first U.S. tennis player born in the 2000s to break into the elite group. Shelton joined Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul to give America three men in the top 10 for the first time since 2006.
However, since reaching this career milestone, Shelton’s form has taken a concerning turn. The young player has failed to win a single match, suffering back-to-back defeats that have raised questions about his ability to maintain his new ranking status as Wimbledon approaches.
Stuttgart Seminfinal Loss Ended Ben Shelton’s Historic Run
Shelton’s path to the top 10 was built on an impressive Stuttgart campaign where he defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jiri Lehecka. His quarterfinal victory over Lehecka on Jun. 13 secured his historic ranking breakthrough. The match against Lehecka showcased Shelton’s potential, as he won 6-4, 6-4 without facing a single break point.
Unfortunately, his Stuttgart journey ended in the semifinals against top seed Alexander Zverev on Jun. 14. Despite a competitive performance, Shelton lost 7-6(8), 7-6(1) in a match that lasted over two hours. This loss extended Zverev’s perfect record against Shelton to 3-0.
Milestone unlocked 🔓
Welcome to the Top 10, Ben Shelton 👏 #PIF | #ATPRankings | #Partner pic.twitter.com/qcP4gN61eD
— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 16, 2025
Following this, Shelton lost the Round of 32 match against Arthur Rinderknech at the Queen’s Club championship 7-6(5), 7-6(4) on Jun. 17, one day after making it to the top. Both players dominated on serve and did not face a single break point throughout the encounter. This marked Rinderknech’s first top-10 victory of his career.
Ben Shelton’s Mallorca Setback Against Rising Star Learner Tien
Shelton’s struggles continued at the Mallorca Championships, where he entered as the top seed. On Jun. 25, he suffered another disappointing defeat, this time to 19-year-old compatriot Learner Tien. The 6-4, 7-6(2) loss was particularly concerning given Shelton’s status as the tournament’s top seed and his ranking advantage over World No. 67 Tien.
The match highlighted ongoing issues with Shelton’s game, as he committed significantly more unforced errors than his young opponent. After leading 4-1 in the second set, Shelton was unable to close out the match, eventually losing in the tiebreak. This defeat marked Tien’s third top 10 victory of the year and sent him to the quarterfinals.
View this post on Instagram
Shelton’s quick rise to the top 10 was a remarkable achievement that captured the attention of the tennis world. However, his inability to win a match since reaching this milestone has exposed the challenges that come with elevated expectations and target status.
With Wimbledon approaching, Shelton faces the pressure of proving he belongs among tennis’s elite while trying to end his losing streak that began the moment he achieved his career-high ranking.
