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Ben Shelton is set to make his ATP Finals debut after qualifying for the quarterfinals at the Paris Masters, defeating Andrey Rublev in the Round of 16. He followed in the footsteps of Taylor Fritz, who booked his spot at the year-end Championships the previous day, after four American women, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, and Madison Keys, had already secured their qualifications.
Ben Shelton began the year with the Australian Open semifinal appearance but succumbed to eventual champion Jannik Sinner after losing to him in three sets. The American then made strides at the Indian Wells Open and broke into the upper echelon of men's tennis by achieving a ranking of No. 7 after his advancement to the Washington Open quarterfinals.
The 23-year-old won his ATP 1000 title at the Canadian Open, becoming the youngest American to achieve such a feat. Having dealt with a shoulder injury and exiting the Swiss Indoors in the last 16, Shelton entered the Paris Masters as the fifth-seeded player. He trounced Rublev and secured a place in the quarterfinals, qualifying for the ATP Finals, where he will play his debut year-end Championships.
Taylor Fritz etched his name on the list after trouncing Bublik in straight sets in Paris. Coco Gauff was added to the WTA Finals roster after her fourth-round victory at the China Open. Madison Keys will play at the Tour finals for the first time since 2016, while Amanda Anisimova will complete the US-heavy list as a debutant.
Ben Shelton made his feelings known about the 'rollercoaster' season amid the Paris Masters
Shelton at the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 - Day 4 - Source: GettyBen Shelton has been dealing with shoulder issues since the US Open. Following that, the American has suffered early exits in the subsequent tournaments but expressed hope of coming back strong in the latter half of the season on his way to the ATP Finals. Talking about how tennis isn't a linear sport, he said:
"For me, it hasn’t been all straightforward. It hasn’t been just winning all the time. There has been times where I’ve played really well, there’s been times where I haven’t played so well and had to get myself out of a slump. I think that’s just tennis. It’s a roller coaster. For me to be able to find my great tennis more consistently later in the year has always been a great thing for me."Shelton reached two major semifinals and won three singles titles on the ATP Tour.
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Edited by Agnijeeta Majumder
English (US)