From NCAA champion to maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal: 20-year-old Ben Shelton scripts American history at Australian Open 2023

20-year-old Ben Shelton became the talk of the town at the 2023 Australian Open, beating fellow countryman JJ Wolf on Monday to seal his spot in the quarterfinals. By doing so, the World No. 89 has become the first American to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam before turning 21 since Andy Roddick in 2003.

Shelton needed five sets to dispatch Wolf in the fourth round, coming back from a set down twice to win 6(5)-7, 6-2, 6(4)-7, 7-6(4), 6-2 in a contest that lasted more than three hours and 45 minutes.

Shelton, a former collegiate tennis player for the Florida Gators, turned pro only in 2022, making his Grand Slam debut at the US Open last year. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it past the first round at Flushing Meadows back then, falling to Nuno Borges. The American enjoyed a very good college career, leading the Gators to their first national championship in 2021, winning 10 of his 12 singles encounters.

The following year, Ben Shelton was crowned the NCAA Singles Champion, as well as ending the year as the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) No. 1. He was also announced as the ITA National Player of the Year and the SEC (Southeastern Conference) Player of the Year.

Ben Shelton takes on either Tommy Paul or Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open

Ben Shelton at the 2023 Australian Open

Following his victory over JJ Wolf, Ben Shelton will take on either Tommy Paul or Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open. Currently locked in battle, Paul took the first set against the Spaniard and looks on course to join his compatriot in the last eight.

A potential semifinal clash against either Novak Djokovic or Andrey Rublev awaits the American, while Stefanos Tsitsipas has emerged as the favorite to reach the final from the top half of the draw. Also in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open is fellow American Sebastian Korda, who takes on Karen Khachanov in the first quarterfinal.

After his fourth-round win, Ben Shelton has risen to a new career-high World No. 43 in the live ATP rankings, given the 360 points he will get from Melbourne Park at the very least.

After losing in the third round to Shelton, Australia's Alexei Popyrin predicted that he could be top 10 in six months if kept his form, a comment that made the 20-year-old very glad. However, Shelton remarked that he was not going to focus on numbers and just keep himself grounded.

"I try to keep myself grounded and know that when there's highs, there's always lows. I'm not expecting a ton from myself. I want to do well, and I want to improve my game, but I'm trying not to put number limitations in my head because there's always something more that you can strive for," Shelton said.