"He's defintely young, he's got that young-kid energy": Tommy Paul says having Ben Shelton around is a lot of fun

Tommy Paul spoke about the significant rise of American tennis players and highlighted the energy of young Ben Shelton.

American men's tennis is experiencing a promising phase on the tour, with the emergence of young players making a mark this season, boasting four players within the top 20 rankings.

One of these rising stars is Tommy Paul, currently ranked 11th in the world. He has had a successful 2023, reaching the final of the ATP 500 Acapulco Open and the 250 Eastbourne Open, although he ended up as the runner-up in both tournaments.

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He also made it to the semifinals of the Australian Open and reached the round of 16 at the US Open. However, it was at Flushing Meadows where he encountered the young talent Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old, who defeated him 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Tommy Paul, aged 26, recently discussed the current state of American tennis and shared insights into his relationship with Ben Shelton.

“It's fun having him around. He’s definitely young. He’s got that young-kid energy, so it’s a lot of fun, especially with the group of older guys that we have now," Paul said.

"I didn’t know Ben Shelton too much, like, when he was 17 or younger, but I knew his dad a bit. And when he first came on the tour, I mean, I wouldn’t say I took him under my wing or anything, but I liked the kid, and I knew he was going to be good," he added.

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Paul also spoke about the reception he and other American tennis players like Taylor Fritz (10th) and Frances Tiafoe (14th) have received, as they have been the standout representatives in recent years:

"I mean, it's weird to call us older guys, but, like, coming up with Foe and Fritz. We just have a bunch of good players, so it’s cool to have that young guy come in and really push us. I mean, it's almost bringing us together in a way," Tommy Paul said.

"Yeah, absolutely. I think you see it in a lot of different generations in tennis. This one, it's pretty cool," he added.

"We have like, two people in the top 10. So it's kind of cool that we're actually up at the top of the game. I mean, all our best athletes go into other sports, so there's our excuse, I guess," he said.