Tennis News: Ben Shelton, Roger Federer and Jenson Brooksby

Ben Shelton is one of the hottest young players on the ATP. 2023 has been his first full year on the tour and he’s made deep runs at the Australian Open and US Open. He recently won his first tournament at tour level when he won the Japan Open. Ben Shelton is currently ranked 15 in the ATP rankings, though in the live rankings, he is 16.

All that is to say Shelton has had a pretty good first year. Still only 21 years old, there is a very good chance that Shelton will have a very special year in 2024. He has the serve and immense forehand to give anyone he plays a difficult time. Over time, he will develop better touch and know better what to do in important moments.

But as the saying goes, good artists borrow and great artists steal. Ben Shelton could be on his way to being a great player so who did he steal what he does from? Shelton named one of the Big Three when asked that question recently.

Ben Shelton’s favorite player is spelled Roger Federer

According to Shelton, “I studied Nadal and tried to steal some secrets from him, but my favorite has always been Roger (Federer).” That makes sense, right? Roger Federer’s style is a bit easier to replicate, though a player is very unlikely to replicate Federer’s level of success. Nadal is very stylized and, well…left-handed.

Roger Federer has a beautiful game as well where he could use his quick hands to hit balls few other players could. If Ben Shelton can learn to get close to Federer’s touch, Shelton is capable of being a multi-time Grand Slam winner.

As far as Shelton’s favorite American player (Shelton is American) is Andy Roddick. Shelton’s game does resemble Roddick’s too. Both had booming serves and powerful groundstrokes. Maybe Ben Shelton can even reach No. 1 one day just as Roddick did in 2003.

Jenson Brooksby gets banned

Brooksby has missed almost all of 2023 as he needed surgery on his wrist. The issue is he still had an obligation to show up for ATP-sanctioned drug tests. Brooksby missed three within a year and as every player knows, that’s against the rules and players will be punished for doing so. The International Tennis Integrity Agency handed down the 18-month suspension this week.

The ITIA cited “whereabouts failures” as the reason the suspension was warranted. Brooksby admitted that twice he was at fault for missing the drug test, but the other he shouldn’t have taken the blame for.

Brooksby said that on June 4, 2022, he didn’t know that a doping officer was attempting to find him and that Brooksby was staying in a hotel at the time and the hotel was never called about Brooksby needing to take a drug test. The ITIA disagreed with this version, though. Brooksby’s suspension will end on January 4, 2025.