Ben Shelton has revealed that he plans to snub the Olympics this 12 months as his precedence lies with the North American hard-court tournaments. The tennis occasion on the Video games is being staged on the French Open grounds on the finish of July. However the world No. 16 would somewhat decide to the 2028 Olympics, which occur in Los Angeles.
Shelton reached the third spherical of Indian Wells for the primary time in his profession on Friday as he got here from a set right down to beat teenage sensation Jakub Mensik 4-6 6-3 6-4. Because the sixteenth seed, Shelton acquired a bye and can now face Francisco Cerundolo as he seems to be to get pleasure from extra success on dwelling soil following a profitable US Open marketing campaign final 12 months.
The 21-year-old reached the semi-final of his dwelling Grand Slam match again in September, shedding to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. It got here after a disappointing begin to the hard-court swing as he went 2-4 throughout his first 4 tournaments. And Shelton is taking drastic measures to make sure that the identical doesn’t occur this 12 months.
Requested whether or not he had thought of taking part in this 12 months’s Olympics in Paris, Shelton admitted that he’d probably prioritise the tour-level occasions in North America. “Positively considered it lots. I might say now I am leaning in direction of not going this 12 months if I had been to make it,” the American stated.
“I believe it is powerful within the tennis schedule this 12 months. I will be in Europe for 2 months main as much as Wimbledon, after which after, you recognize, I need to put together and actually prepare for the US Open. So having to return to Europe to play on clay, a special floor, you recognize, it type of messes up a number of lead-up tournaments to the US Open that I might play if I wasn’t taking part in the Olympics.”
Whereas the 2024 Video games seem like all however off the playing cards for Shelton, the world No. 16 is already waiting for his subsequent alternative to compete within the Olympics, which is able to come on dwelling soil.
He added: “However, you recognize, 100 per cent I might need to play in LA in 2028 which is on the identical facet of the world because the US Open and on the identical floor, however I assume we’ll simply see. Who is aware of what occurs this summer time.”
For now, Shelton’s focus stays in California the place he faces Cerundolo for a spot within the final 16. He’ll as soon as once more be the younger hunter when he faces the 25-year-old Argentine after discovering himself in a uncommon spot towards Mensik because the older, extra skilled participant.
After beating the 18-year-old rising star, Shelton stated: “I used to be simply within the locker room speaking to anyone saying, yeah, that is the primary time I’ve performed somebody who’s youthful than me and never round my identical age.
“Like, I’ve performed Carlos and Holger who’re like a 12 months, and Arthur Fils, who’s like a 12 months and a half. However three years youthful, it is actually spectacular what that child is doing and brings to the desk as an 18-year-old. He is undoubtedly fairly far forward of the place I used to be at 18 years outdated.”