Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton have built a strong bond on tour, one widely recognized by fans. The duo often spends time together both on and off the court during tournaments and during the offseason.
Recently, Tiafoe shed light on the strong camaraderie he shares with Shelton, even as their on-court rivalry remains fiercely competitive.
Frances Tiafoe Gets Honest About His Bond With Ben Shelton
Their connection was also evident in the offseason last year, when the two were seen engaging in an intense hard-court hitting session, pushing each other to the limit and highlighting their shared competitive drive. The two were also spotted in attendance at an NWSL semifinal clash between the Washington Spirit and the Portland Thorns.
Recently, Tiafoe opened up about his bond with Shelton and their fierce on-court rivalry during an appearance on the “Changeover Podcast.” When asked whether it takes extra effort to get the better of Shelton, Tiafoe agreed, beginning his response with a lighthearted jab at his compatriot.
“Of course! You know I call him part-time. Ben is my guy bro. So before that dude everything he’s been doing. But yeah, bro, we play each other like. Look, he’ll say he’s watched me play when he was younger, it’s crazy to think about. And now we’re playing in bigger stages. And you know, we are leading the game as people of color, and it’s crazy, especially being an American,” he said.
Tiafoe said he and Shelton fiercely compete on court, never wanting to lose, but share a strong friendship off court, regularly spending time together, staying in touch, and enjoying each other’s company.
“His dad also played, great story. You know, I have a totally different story… So when we play, it’s great matches because we’re both gunning for each other. But same time, we both got crazy amount of love for each other. We’ll do that, and then a couple of weeks later we’re like, if we’re in the same city let’s go to games, go to dinner like you know, I mean we face time all the time,” he added.
Shelton and Tiafoe have faced each other four times on tour so far, with Shelton leading the head-to-head 3-1.
Shelton and Tiafoe’s 2026 Season Performance
Shelton had a relatively modest start to the 2026 season by his own high standards, reaching the quarterfinals at the ASB Classic before falling to Sebastián Báez in straight sets. He produced a deeper run at the Australian Open, but once again saw his campaign end in the last eight, this time against Jannik Sinner.
MORE: Ben Shelton Reacts to Frances Tiafoe’s $30,000 Act at Cincinnati Open
However, the American soon found his rhythm at the Dallas Open, where he lifted the title after edging past compatriot Taylor Fritz in a hard-fought three-set final. The 23-year-old struggled to carry that momentum forward, exiting in the third round at Indian Wells and suffering an early second-round defeat in the Miami Open. He will now look to reset as he begins his clay-court campaign at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.
Tiafoe also had a quiet start to the season, managing a second-round finish in Brisbane, a third-round showing at the Australian Open, and an early exit in Dallas. He gradually found his rhythm, reaching the quarterfinals at the Delray Beach Open before producing his standout result, a runner-up finish at the Mexican Open.
He backed that up with a fourth-round appearance at Indian Wells, and most recently, a solid quarterfinal run at the Miami Open.
