"Crosses that line and sabotages himself": Bryan Shelton brutally admits why son Ben Shelton loses early in tournaments
ATPThursday, 23 July 2026 at 02:30
Bryan Shelton took part in the Tennis Insider Club podcast this past week with Caroline Garcia and touched upon his relationship with his son Ben Shelton opening up about how he loses early in the tournament.
Shelton sometimes either is amazing or he loses early on and he admitted that his son self sabotages himself in the end which costs him the end reward. He will play next at the DC Open.
"As a coach, the challenge is to work with a guy like Ben, who is very aggressive. But there are times when he crosses that line and sabotages himself, which costs him early exits in the second or third round of a tournament," he said on Tennis Insider Club.
"It's hard to balance those two roles: being the father of a young man who is still growing and discovering life, while also being his coach. Yes, it's tough sometimes.
"But for me, it's all about patience and awareness. I'm constantly monitoring where Ben is mentally and emotionally."
But being both father-son and also coach, Shelton has to respect boundaries and when he doesn't want to talk about tennis and that it is still a game only and isn't the be all and end all.
"I know when he wants to talk tennis and when he doesn't. I respect both, and that's what keeps our relationship healthy.
"The message I want him to take away is that it's still a game. Win or lose, he should enjoy himself. Results should only be a consequence."
Volatile self confidence
Shelton touched upon how volatile self confidence can actually be and he said that in reality confidence is the most fragile engine of being at the top level and can be discerning more than helping a top star.
"It's something that comes and goes over the course of a season. Sometimes everything flows naturally: they have that inner belief, find the formula for success, and enter a state where they don't even think.
Other times, they start to doubt, to tell themselves they might not be that good, that their ranking is just luck... All players go through that."
Shelton of course is in the unique but also volatile position where he works with his son so he perhaps gets more grace but also more is perhaps expected of it as they know each other inside out and he described the advice he would in fact give to those who are in the same position as fathers.
"I always try to ask questions. It's another way to approach things and teach your kids to think, solve problems, and grow. If you just tell them what to do and how to do it better, it becomes your project rather than theirs."
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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