Ben Shelton wary of potential Nadal matchup at Davis Cup Finals: "I'm gonna be so tight"

Ben Shelton discussed with Gael Monfils a potential matchup against Rafael Nadal in the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. The 21-year-old American won the trophy at the Ultimate Tennis Showdowns in Frankfurt over the weekend and qualified for the UTS Grand Final to be held in London at the end of the season.

Nadal is preparing for his retirement in a couple of weeks, where he will play his last tournament as Team Spain faces the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup. The finals will take place in Malaga, and Shelton will be part of Team USA, which will face Australia in search of a semifinal spot.

A potential showdown between the USA and Spain could only occur in the final, and Shelton expressed uncertainty about wanting to play against Nadal, especially considering that if that potential final happens, it would definitely be the last match for the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

A clip of Shelton and Monfils was shared on UTS's social media, where the American mentioned that facing Nadal in a possible final match would be a ‘nightmare,’ although the Frenchman believes it would be an incredible experience: Shelton: "Will Rafa play singles?" Shelton asked. "Because, are they going to make him retire in doubles? It's his choice, right?" the American pondered.

"It's a good question," Monfils replied. "Rafa is Rafa, you know. If he feels ready, they will make him play. 100%. And he'll be a beast.”

"If it's our match, and he ends up playing me, I'm gonna be so tight. So tight. He’s gonna be (grunting). The crowd, everything… No. This is my nightmare," Shelton added.

"But it will be a crazy experience for you," Monfils told the young star.

"I'm praying that it happens. I'm praying it doesn't happen."

"I understand. But it can be, as I told you, one of the best experiences of your career."

Shelton made his jump on the ATP Tour in early 2023 when he reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open while still being relatively unknown in ATP tournaments. Since 2023, Nadal has faced ongoing injury issues that kept him out for almost the entire season, and in 2024, he could not shake off physical problems, competing in only a handful of tournaments, meaning Shelton has never faced Nadal in an official match.

The Davis Cup finals will be held between November 19 and 24 at the Martin Carpena Arena. Shelton joins Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and doubles specialists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek. Spain will be led by Carlos Alcaraz and Nadal, along with the presence of Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreño Busta, and Marcel Granollers.