Ben Shelton became a top talent in North America’s hard court this summer. And he’s just started.
The 22-year-old American took Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-4 in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon, extending his current winning streak to nine games. Last week in Toronto, Shelton became the youngest American to win the Masters since 2004, and he continued to surge in three more wins in Cincinnati, where he will face Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals on Friday.
If Sheldon can win the game, he will assure himself the top 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2e0yf2lyas
Shelton has been the first American to reach the last eight in Canada and Cincinnati since Mardy Fish in 2012.
“I’m hungry. I’m at a good pace,” Sheldon told Jill Craybas in court after winning, when asked about his keys for the recent rise. “I think it’s a huge motivation for me to be confident and not satisfied, wanting to prove myself every time I’m on the court and what I want to be better is a huge motivation for me, and it drives my motivation every game.”
Sheldon has lost to Zverev.
He won 26 points in 32 points against Lehecka and won two-thirds of the Czech.
Sheldon broke the game 5-4 in the first fierce attack and then served in love.
From 2-0, South Paw continued to break Lehecka twice, including a 5-4 break, and then he played at the age of 15.
