Ben Shelton won the first ATP Tour title of his career on Sunday, defeating Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the final of the Japan Open. Using his strong left-hand service and hitting 18 winners, the 21-year-old player was able to secure victory in 84 minutes.
“That meant a lot to me and my team,” the American exclaimed after his victory. “We have been working really hard since the beginning to build my game and win titles on the ATP Tour. I made some deep runs lately. You see the great champions, they finish weeks off. They win titles, they don’t just get to finals. They are able to maintain their level throughout the week. I am not saying I am anywhere there yet, but to be able to do it for one week, put together five matches in a row in Tokyo is really special.”
Following his win, Shelton will rise to a career-high 15th position in the ATP World Rankings on Monday. Having started the season ranked 96th, Shelton has shown a rampant rise in form in recent weeks, also making it to the semifinals of the US Open.
