Ben Shelton is the top American contender to win Grand Slam, feels tennis journalist

Ben Shelton has had a breakthrough 2023, with a quarterfinal finish at this year's Australian Open.

The American also reached the semifinals of the Cagliari Challenger. Since turning pro last year, the 20-year-old has rapidly climbed up in the rankings and is now within the top 50, at No. 35.

In a podcast, Inside-In, by the Tennis Channel, the host spoke about players who thrive under a loud and tough crowd and mentioned Shelton in reference to his match at this year's Australian Open against home favorite Alexei Popyrin.

Tennis journalist Eric Hubbs has agreed the southpaw did handle the crowd well and showered praises on him:

"I think he's probably a year or two away from like Top 10ish or whatever, consistently at that level and then will probably be there for a very long time. But man, that guy has all the tools and he's exciting and he smiles all the time. He's having fun out there," he said.

Speaking about the wave of current American talents, including Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, and the race to win a Grand Slam, Hubbs backed the World No. 35.

"The question is not 'if' an American player breaks through, it's whether someone does it before Ben Shelton does. That's the way I'm looking at it. Can [Taylor] Fritz, Tommy [Paul], [Francis]Tiafoe, Sebi [Sebastian Korda], can one of those guys win a Slam before Shelton does, because Shelton's gonna win," he said.

College tennis is a great step to becoming a professional, believes Ben Shelton

Ben Shelton at the 2023 Madrid Open

Ben Shelton is fresh off his college tennis days since he turned pro in 2022. The American youngster was a budding talent at the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

He won the the NCAA Team Champion award in 2021. He also won the NCAA Singles Champion award and The ITA National Player of the Year in 2022.

In a recent video by the ATP, he recalled his time playing college tennis, particularly the aspect of playing as a team and how it helped him prepare for the professional circuit.

"I think college tennis is a great step to becoming a professional. I think you learn about playing for something bigger than yourself. Tennis can be lonely when you're playing out there by yourself, but college tennis can take that aspect away," he said.

"Winning the team title was a hundred times better than winning an individual title because you're sharing it with a bunch of people who are working towards the same goal," he added.

Having bowed out in singles, Ben Shelton will next play doubles with partner Diego Hidalgo at the 2023 Geneva Open.