Ben Shelton powers through Ugo Humbert, earns ticket to UTS Grand Final in London

Ben Shelton defeated Ugo Humbert in the Ultimate Tennis Showdown final and is the champion in Frankfurt. The 21-year-old American was almost unstoppable in the final match, winning 19-10, 8-18, 15-11, 19-11.

Nicknamed “The Mountain” for the tournament, Shelton’s forehand was especially impressive as he overcame “The Commander” and secured his spot in the UTS Grand Final in London this December, where the top eight players from the year’s different UTS editions will compete. Humbert also secured his place in London.

After the match, Shelton mentioned that he felt his forehand was at the best level of his career and acknowledged that he moved past his inconsistent performance in the semifinals. In his previous match, he had defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis (“Kokki”) in five sets.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen them like that either. I was pretty locked in, I just closed my eyes and swung. I guess today, I had it,” a jubilant Shelton said. “I was pretty upset on court this morning (in his semi-final). I don’t know what came over me. I was just focusing on trying to have a lot of fun, hitting some hot shots. I think at the core of it, that’s what UTS is about, it’s for the crowd.”

Humbert had a brilliant start to the match, taking the first quarter. However, the young American raised his level from the second quarter onwards (which he won decisively 18-8). Shelton’s father and coach, Bryan Shelton, commented during the match: “Wow, what a quarter. That’s the best quarter I’ve seen at UTS.”

With Shelton and Humbert qualifying, six players are now confirmed for the UTS Grand Final. They join Andrey Rublev, Gaël Monfils, Alexander Bublik, and Alex De Minaur. The last two spots will be wildcard entries, to be announced next week.