With four ATP tournaments under his belt,
University of Florida junior tennis standout Ben Shelton has announced he will be turning pro and picking up a full schedule on the ATP Tour.
The 19-year old made waves during the summer, entering the Western & Southern Open as a wildcard where he took out Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round before ousting World No.5 Casper Ruud in straight sets. The Atlanta, Ga native would go on to lose to eventual semifinalist Cam Norrie in the round of 16.
Following his superb performance in Cincinnati, Shelton announced on Tuesday that he'd be foregoing his final two years of collegiate eligibility and turning pro.
He began the summer ranked No.547 in the world, but has risen to a career-high of World No.171.
"While this wasn't an easy decision, I'm excited for the next chapter in my career," wrote Shelton on social media. "I want to thank the University of Florida for two incredible years."
Shelton would go on to thank the UF coaching staff and his teammates, before adding he'd continue his education by obtaining his finance degree online while traveling on Tour. He is set to compete at the US Open, which kicks off on August 29.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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