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Former Florida Gators tennis standout Ben Shelton earned the first ATP Tour title of his nascent professional career on Sunday morning Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, where he defeated Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1.
The former Gator used an enormous comeback in his semi-final match against Marcos Giron to reach the finals, which also helped propel him to the trophy stand in Tokyo. The momentum from the semis must have carried over, as Shelton dispatched Karatsev in just 84 minutes.
“That meant a lot to me and my team,” Shelton said. “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.”
Shelton is the sixth first-time tour-level winner of the season and the first player since Lorenzo Musetti in Hamburg in 2022 to win his debut ATP Tour title at a 500 event. Additionally, the young American is the youngest Tokyo champion since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001, who was 20 years old when he won his first title.
He joins father Bryan Shelton as an ATP Tour titlist, becoming the fourth father-son duo to win tour-level singles titles in the Open Era (since 1968).
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match…
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match…
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton returns a hot against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match…
USA's Ben Shelton returns a hot against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot in him…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot in him match against Aslan Karatsev of Russia
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton returns a hot against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match…
USA's Ben Shelton returns a hot against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton reacts during during the men's singles final match against Russia's Aslan Karatsev at…
USA's Ben Shelton reacts during during the men's singles final match against Russia's Aslan Karatsev at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match…
USA's Ben Shelton hits a return against Russia's Aslan Karatsev during their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot in him…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States returns a shot in him match against Aslan Karatsev of Russia
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT-TENNIS-ATP-JPN
TOPSHOT - USA's Ben Shelton celebrates his victory over Russia's Aslan Karatsev after their men's singles…
TOPSHOT - USA's Ben Shelton celebrates his victory over Russia's Aslan Karatsev after their men's singles final match of the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States celebrate defeating Aslan Karatsev of…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States celebrate defeating Aslan Karatsev of Russia
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
Ben Shelton of the US (R) shakes hands with Aslan Karatsev of Russia after their men's…
Ben Shelton of the US (R) shakes hands with Aslan Karatsev of Russia after their men's singles final match at the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States and Aslan Karatsev of Russia…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States and Aslan Karatsev of Russia poses
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
USA's Ben Shelton lifts his victor's trophy during the awards ceremony of the ATP Japan Open…
USA's Ben Shelton lifts his victor's trophy during the awards ceremony of the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
TENNIS-ATP-JPN
Winner Ben Shelton of the US (R) and runner-up Aslan Karatsev of Russia pose during the…
Winner Ben Shelton of the US (R) and runner-up Aslan Karatsev of Russia pose during the awards ceremony of the ATP Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo on October 22, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States poses with the trophy after…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States poses with the trophy after defeating Aslan Karatsev of Russia
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
Kinoshita Group Japan Open - Day 7
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States celebrate defeating Aslan Karatsev of…
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 22: Ben Shelton of the United States celebrate defeating Aslan Karatsev of Russia
their singles in the finals during day seven of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 22, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
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By: Adam Dubbin
Title: PHOTOS: Highlights from Ben Shelton's first ATP Tour win in Japan
Sourced From: gatorswire.usatoday.com/gallery/florida-tennis-ben-shelton-first-atp-tour-win-japan/
Published Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2023 14:03:03 +0000
