"He has to find his happy medium" – Jimmy Connors on Ben Shelton’s next steps in 2025 to ascend to new heights

Ben Shelton has quickly made a name for himself as one of the sport’s future stars. The 22-year-old has shown he has what it takes to compete on the big stages and challenge top competitors. He kicked off 2025 with a strong run in the Australian Open, reaching the semi-finals against Jannik Sinner.

Unfortunately for Shelton, Sinner was too strong for him that day, but it serves as a solid foundation for the American to build upon. His match against Sinner was significant, showcasing his potential and ability to compete at the highest level. Tennis legend Jimmy Connors has given his take on what Shelton needs to do to improve.

The Australian Open was the first major tournament of the year, and many players aimed to make an impact in Melbourne—Shelton included. The Atlanta-born player had an impressive run, securing wins over Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego. His victory over Musetti was particularly remarkable, as he outplayed the Italian in a thrilling five-set match.

However, in the semi-finals, Sinner put on a dominant display to dispatch Shelton. The American had a chance to take the first set but failed to capitalise on two set points, allowing the Italian to break back and claim it.

In the remaining sets, Sinner comfortably bested Shelton to book his place in the final. A key weakness in Shelton's semi-final performance was his high number of unforced errors, particularly on his forehand side. Nevertheless, reaching the semi-finals was an impressive feat, giving Shelton confidence and a strong foundation for the rest of 2025.

Speaking on his Advantage Connors podcast, the eight-time Grand Slam champion shared insights on what Shelton needs to do to reach the next level.

"He should have confidence, but he has to get a little more – not very highs and the low lows," Connors said.

"He has to find a balance in his game, understand what it takes to win consistently, and avoid losses to lower-ranked players. You know he can play against the guys above him, and he gets up for those matches. But no matter who he plays, he has to reach that level every time."

"If he can do that and find consistency with the big game that he has, he should be okay."

Shelton is a phenomenal and young talent so there's time for hime to develop , and it will be exciting to see how he progresses throughout 2025.