Ben Shelton and Bryan Shelton become fourth father-son duo in ATP history to win titles following the American's Tokyo triumph

Fast-rising Ben Shelton defeated Russia's Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 to win his maiden ATP tour title. With his triumph, the 21-year-old ensured that he and his father, former player Bryan Shelton, joined an exclusive club.

The Sheltons are only the fourth father-son duo in the Open era to win an ATP title (which began in 1968). While the young Shelton, ranked 15th in the world at the moment, has won one pro-tour title, his father went all the way at the Hall of Fame Open in 1991-92. He was ranked as high as 55 in 1992.

Apart from Ben Shelton and his father, the following father-son duos also have tasted success on the men's circuit: Sebastian & Petra Korda, Ramanathan & Ramesh Krishnan, and Taylor & Phil Dent.

Sebastian Korda, placed at a career-high 23 in the men's rankings, won his lone pro title at the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open. His father Petr, meanwhile, was one of the best players of the 90s, winning his maiden Major title at the 1998 Australian Open. He also won eight other ATP titles during his career.

The Krishnans are also one of the most prolific father-son duos in the sport's history. Ramesh Krishnan won his only Open-era title at the 1968 Canadian Open, whilst recording a horde of triumphs as an amateur player before that. His son Ramanathan was also successful as a pro, winning eight Grand Prix titles.

The Dents, meanwhile, also had a considerable impact on the men's circuit. While Phil Dent won three Grand Prix titles, his son accounted for four ATP titles.

Note: From 1970-1989, men's tournaments were held on the Grand Prix circuit. In 1990, the ATP became the sole governing body of men's professional tennis.

Ben Shelton has won 14 of his last 16 matches on the ATP tour

Ben Shelton serves at the 2023 US Open

Ben Shelton, meanwhile, has enjoyed a breakout season on the men's circuit in 2023. The American has recorded a 26-22 win-loss record, the highlights of which include semifinal and quarterfinal appearances at the US Open and the Australian Open, respectively.

Although Shelton struggled to win back-to-back matches on the ATP tour for a large part of the season, he has been on fire as the 2023 season draws to an end. Quite remarkably, the 21-year-old has won 14 of his last 16 matches, including his last-four run in New York — where he was denied by Novak Djokovic.

The American has also defeated the likes of Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul during this run. Before the 2023 US Open, Shelton had only won 12 of his 32 matches on the tour from January to August.