American tennis has always been blessed with young stars who have left their mark on the tennis world. From the likes of Serena and Venus Williams to the likes of Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro, these players have carried their country’s hopes on their shoulders. Among them is Ben Shelton, who is making rapid progress on the ATP Tour. A couple of years ago, he was playing college tennis. However, with massive strides taken, Shelton is on the brink of the top 10 of the ATP rankings. American tennis legend, Andy Roddick, was left impressed with his steep rise and heaped praise on him.

Shelton had a breakthrough last season when he reached the semifinal of the US Open in front of his home fans. Subsequently, he began winning tournaments and performing consistently, enabling him to rise to the 14th spot in the ATP rankings chart. During his latest episode of her ‘Served’ podcast which was released earlier today, Roddick praised Shelton despite there being a healthy rivalry among the American players.

He said, “If you’re looking at the rankings, you’re looking at Tommy Paul, who is now 10 in the world, you’re looking at Taylor Fritz, who is knocking on the door. There’s Sebastian Korda, and every time I watch him, I feel he is top 5 in the world. Ben Shelton, I feel he is still learning how to play tennis. He was in college two years ago. So I think we’re looking at Americans in that competition for the first time. I’m such a massive fan of healthy jealousy.”

Not just Roddick, but many in the tennis fraternity feel that Shelton will be the player to look out for in the coming years. Earlier this season, a renowned coach touted Shelton to become America’s next Grand Slam champion.

Eric Riley dubs Ben Shelton to triumph at the French Open one day

The 21-year-old has the ability to mix it up nicely when it comes to playing on different surfaces. While his serve is his biggest strength without any doubt, Shelton can also close out rallies with attacking returns. This makes him a dangerous opponent on any surface due to his versatility.

As a result, Riley felt that Shelton would be America’s answer for a major champion in the coming years. Riley said, “He’s the best out of the bunch. He’s got the lightest arm. Maybe the lefty Shelton can win the French one year because he’ll mix it up. He’s got the best one and he’s got a great person in his corner—his dad.”

Despite the promise shown, Shelton has won just a solitary title this season. He will be looking to add a few more titles to his tally this year, with the hard-court tournaments lined up. Can Shelton finish off the year on a high? Let us know your views in the comments below.