"Big chance to win this thing now and I think he's gonna do it": Ben Shelton will win US Open says John McEnroe
ATP
Talk about pressure, as Ben Shelton has been backed to end a long wait for the US in regard to finding a new star who will win a major on the men's side, as Shelton faces Alexander Zverev with legendary star John McEnroe, the one who has predicted it.
Shelton will aim to become the first American male to win his home Grand Slam since Roddick's win back in 2003 if he beats Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final in New York; McEnroe remains convinced that he can get it done.
The pressure will be piled upon Shelton, especially given that the women's saw two Eastern European players and not Gauff or Pegula in the final, so it relies solely on the men's to provide that antidote, especially in lieu of no Alcaraz or Sinner either.
“Ben played the match of his life to beat Alcaraz,” said McEnroe.
“It was not the best thing for our game that the best match of the tournament was finishing at 3.30am. I spoke to Ben yesterday, and he didn’t get to bed until 7.30am, which is not great.
“But he showed what he was made of and what he can do. It’s a shame a lot of people didn’t see it at that time in the morning, but Ben has a big chance to win this thing now, and I think he’s going to do it.”
Ben Shelton backed to end long wait.
Why not before for America?
With sports such as American football and baseball, among others being more popular in the States than anywhere else, McEnroe moots that in reality the lack of accessability is the issue when it comes to the sport of tennis abroad.
Despite having hugely successful players like Serena Williams and even the likes of Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Taylor Fritz, among others, now, many have had issues actually reaching the top, either due to lack of money or being able to break through.
“It feels to me that tennis is more accessible in other countries, especially Europe,” said McEnroe.
“In our country, to be blunt, the accessibility is a big issue. The best athletes play American football, basketball, and, in some cases, soccer. You have the affordability issues, and tennis is expensive.
“You see in the women’s game that there are more opportunities because of equal prize money, and the best athletes, like Serena Williams, end up playing tennis.
“I try to provide more opportunity for kids at my club and for kids that otherwise couldn’t afford it. There’s a great history in Europe.
“There’s a great history in America for tennis, but it is a long time since we had a men’s winner at the US Open.
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“So it would be big if it happens this year. We also need to look at ways to get more kids playing tennis in America, and I do that at my club by trying to give kids a chance who might not ordinarily play the sport, but it’s not easy.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!mandoist12-11-2026
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