“Do you guys think I look like Matthew McConaughey?” – Ben Shelton jokes around after putting on cowboy hat at Dallas Open

Ben Shelton was in high spirits after notching up his first win at the Dallas Open 2024.

Shelton downed Michael Mmoh 6-3, 6-3 in a Round-of-16 match on Wednesday, February 7, at the ATP 250 event in Dallas. During the match, he created a total of six break-point opportunities and converted three. Moreover, he smashed seven aces and 23 winners to reach the finish line in just an hour and three minutes.

In the quarterfinals, Shelton will go face to face with either Jordan Thompson or Denis Kudla. Thompson and Kudla are scheduled to play their Round-of-16 match on Thursday, February 8.

After the win on Wednesday, Shelton was made to wear the cowboy hat, a custom at the Dallas Open. After putting on the hat, the American noted he looked like a Texan heading to a football game.

"I feel like I'm getting ready to go to a University of Texas football game," Shelton joked.

He then asked the crowd if his appearance resembled one of the most renowned Texans, actor Matthew McConaughey.

"Do you guys think I look like Matthew McConaughey?" he asked the spectators.

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"I've got to see a lot of different places, different continents and cultures for the first time" - Ben Shelton on perks of being a pro tennis player

Ben Shelton

Ben Shelton has yet to celebrate the second anniversary of his professional career but he has already achieved a career-high rank of World No. 15. Moreover, the 21-year-old has traveled to different cities across the world and also competed at every Grand Slam tournament in the calendar year 2023.

In a recent interview with Stuff, he talked about transitioning from being a college student to an elite tennis professional.

"It's a much different lifestyle. When I was in college, you spend most of your nights at home, in your own bed. Now, I'm living in hotels, going from city to city," he said.

Ben Shelton further stated that getting exposed to several different cultures has been overwhelming for him to process. He said:

"It's been cool. I've got to see a lot of different places, different continents and cultures for the first time. A lot of these guys got to experience these different things at young ages, 15 or 16, playing ITF [junior] tournaments. But for it to all happen in one year was crazy for me, it was all flooding in at once."