Victoria Azarenka highlights Ben Shelton’s special bond with father Bryan after reaching first Grand Slam final
ATPSaturday, 12 September 2026 at 19:00
Victoria Azarenka has made a rare public appearance amid her prolonged absence from professional tennis to praise Ben Shelton and his father Bryan after the American reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open. The former world No. 1 highlighted the Shelton family's relationship after Ben's victory over Frances Tiafoe.
Azarenka, who has not played an official match since the 2025 US Open and has yet to confirm whether she intends to return to competition, offered a different perspective on Shelton's breakthrough.
Shelton defeated Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 in an all-American semifinal to reach the biggest match of his career. The 23-year-old will face Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final, with a maiden Grand Slam title now within reach after an impressive run in New York.
The achievement has also brought renewed attention to the partnership behind Shelton's rise. Bryan has remained a central figure in his son's development since he moved into professional tennis, using his own experience as a former player and coach while navigating the additional challenge of working with his son at the highest level.
Azarenka highlights Shelton's father-son relationship
Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion and former world No. 1, singled out the balance between the personal and professional sides of the Shelton partnership.
“The relationship between Bryan Shelton and Ben Shelton—as father and son, but also as coach and player—is probably one of the healthiest dynamics I’ve personally seen in sports.”
The relationship between Bryan Shelton and Ben Shelton—as father and son, but also as coach and player—is probably one of the healthiest dynamics I’ve personally seen in sports.
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) September 12, 2026
Parent-coach relationships can be particularly complicated in professional sport, where the same person must provide emotional support while also making difficult decisions and offering criticism. The demands of the tour can put pressure on both sides of that relationship, especially as a player moves deeper into the biggest tournaments.
Bryan brings his own experience from professional tennis into the partnership. He reached a career-high No. 55 in the ATP rankings before establishing himself as a college coach, eventually becoming a central figure in his son's development as Ben moved from the University of Florida to the professional tour.
That partnership has now reached a new level with Ben's run in New York. The American defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarterfinal before overcoming Tiafoe in the semifinals, showing the ability to handle the pressure of the biggest matches of his career.
Shelton's biggest moment with Bryan in his corner
The importance of family has also been evident during Shelton's run. After defeating Tiafoe, the American spoke about the sacrifices made by his parents and connected his breakthrough to his family's history.
“It’s a lot of emotion. My dad, my mom sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position today," the world No. 9 said. "My dad lost his mom earlier this year, and she’s the reason that he was able to play tennis. Without her, there’s no Ben Shelton standing here today. This one is for her.”
Read also
The moment provided another insight into the personal side of Shelton's rise. Bryan is not simply watching his son compete for a Grand Slam title; he is preparing him for the biggest match of his career while experiencing the occasion as a father.
That is the balance Azarenka chose to highlight. While the relationship between a player and coach is inherently professional,
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Big Babe Tennis! Hoping for a good final.DaveyWavey12-09-2026
- Director needs to return to his old "job" at the Australia Open. He's clueless in NYC.
mandoist12-09-2026 - You keep writing ridiculous crap... why are you even watching tennis?mandoist12-09-2026
- They probably have a very good reason for this. I do not get it. Annoying that it finishes so late
AceOfBase12-09-2026 - I hope he wins. Would be great to have a USA winner again with the men.AceOfBase12-09-2026
- I love WTA matches. Seek them out as much as possible on youtube and other platforms I already subscribe to. With that in mind, I do not wish to pay $$$ to a notoriously slippery subscription conglomerate sports broadcaster (like SkySports) just for the privilege to watch it and the tnt/eurosport/discovery subscription went from $$ to $$$+ annually in a blink of an eye. With ATP I have been begrudgingly paying xyz tennis only channel and try to catch up on slams elsewhere (pubs, youtube with USO later on games are just as enjoyable to watch and a smart move to upload on their official channel) but they don't cover WTA. I tried another Tennis dedicated channel that advertised originally as broadcasting where I live, but turned out, they took the money, but didn't cover the matches (only fluff/filler value documentaries). I don't understand why it is so hard to not lock the live matches to one broadcaster only refusing so many people who are happy to pay for the privilege just not through that one entry point. WTA is so exciting for the last few years and they really should capitalise on it as much as possible. And I know it is somewhat naive talking without knowing the inner works, but not being able to find any WTA other than youtube (and then only highlights mostly) is just so frustrating.JayJay11-09-2026
- Clearly not AI :-)AceOfBase11-09-2026
- Oh my God!! Does anyone proofread these pages??? Case in point: However, the question mark over the 32-years-old head......???? No! No! No! However, the question mark over the 32-year-old's head...good grief man, hire a proofreader. This article is rife with errors making some sentences very difficult to read. I had to stop. I am a proofreader hence my disgust.Rapunzel10-09-2026
- Iga needs to make a decision whether she wants to continue the sport of tennis or pursue whatever she has going on in her personal life. One can tell that tennis is no longer an interest of hers. She should retire while she is on top, not when she slides to the bottom of the rankings. She has too much talent to look how she does on the court these days. She looks more like a wild card than a champion.crissy09-09-2026
- Looks like tennis has become a part of the American Oligarchy. As usual, Pegula is given a cupcake draw. With all her money, they have to fixed the draws in her favor in order to raised the trophy.crissy09-09-2026
Loading