Tennis great Jimmy Connors has recently weighed in on which American male tennis player has the best chance of winning the upcoming Wimbledon championships.
USA men’s tennis is enjoying a golden run, with as many as three players ranked within the top 10 in this week’s PIF ATP rankings, the first time since 2006. Notably, 22-year-old Shelton made his top 10 debut in the latest ranking chart after making it through to the semifinals at last week’s BOSS Open in Stuttgart, Germany.
In a recent edition of his podcast, Connors discussed the rapid strides Americans have made in men’s tennis and suggested what they can do to win that elusive major trophy.
What Jimmy Connors Thinks of the Chances of Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Tommy Paul at Wimbledon
Connors, a two-time champion at the All England Club (1974, 1982), has praised all three top 10 men’s players from the US. He has also expressed optimism about their chances at Wimbledon.
Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, Connors noted that “hit the ball hard” and “serve big” translate well to success on the faster grasscourt surface.
According to the eight-time Grand Slam winner, the key for Shelton will be keeping the error count low. “Shelton is a lefty, and on grass, that is always tough,” Connors said, but he stressed that cutting down on errors will be crucial.
“It’s okay to go for your big shots, try to hit a winner,” Connors said. “But there is a right time and a right place for all that. They should pick the right time.”
Ben Shelton didn’t believe it when they told him he’d cracked the ATP Top-10 🤣 #BossOpen pic.twitter.com/8DBYuUvPCf
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 13, 2025
 Connors also spoke optimistically about Paul, whom he described as “gutsy.” Admitting that Paul does not have big “weapons,” Connors also pointed out that good movement, which Paul excels at, is key to success on grass.
“If he (Paul) can get a little lucky draw and get stuck in there, some good things can happen for him too,” said Connors.
What Jimmy Connors Thinks About Having Three Americans in the Top 10 of Men’s Tennis
For the first time since 2006, three American men (Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Ben Shelton) occupy spots in the top 10 of the world rankings.
Former No. 1 Jimmy Connors, a 109-time winner on the tour, stressed that racking up wins would boost the confidence of the American men.
“Winning cures everything,” Connors said in his “Advantage Connors” podcast.
“Bigger the tournament, the Grand Slams or the Masters 1000s – you win those, you know that’s where your game begins to rise. Winning the big tournaments puts you on a different level,” he added.
However, the US tennis legend emphasized that it “never hurts to win a tournament at any level, and it gives you the confidence and the feeling that my game’s on the uptick.”
“Confidence is confidence,” Connors said, noting that the only thing that breeds that is winning.
