US Open 2026: Rafael Nadal won four of his 22 Grand Slams in Flushing Meadows, and he certainly knows a thing or two about the US Open. The Spaniard helped Ben Shelton reach his maiden Grand Slam final. Before the Men’s singles tournament even began, the American talked to Nadal, and it helped him draw a layout that has helped him reach the final, where he will face the reigning French Open champion Alexander Zverev.
Ben Shelton’s Father Reveals Son’s Journey Before US Open 2026
Ben Shelton’s coach and father, Bryan Shelton, revealed how advice from Nadal helped the 23-year-old. Following his semi-final win over compatriot Frances Tiafoe in four sets, Bryan talked to reporters.
The former ATP Pro, Bryan, while talking to the reporters, said, “I think you learn from your experiences. He won Montreal, he went to Cincinnati and we said ‘this is going to be the toughest day you’re going to have’, playing in the first round in Cincinnati after winning a title. Very few people come from that and have another good tournament the next week, and he didn’t, you know? He lost first round.”
How Rafael Nadal’s Advice Helped Ben Shelton?
Bryan further revealed how advice from former legend Rafael Nadal helped his son. The 60-year-old said, “I remember talking to Rafa a couple of days after that match. Rafa was, like, ‘you know, you got to be able to get through that first one and have the day off and then be able to get your best tennis again the next week’. So it was a lesson for Ben that you’ve got to be able to bounce back when good things happen, just as you have to bounce back when adversity happens or tough things go on.”
The discussions with Nadal revolved around playing against fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and how to beat the defending champion. Notably, Shelton and Alcaraz faced each other in the quarter-final, where the American won in five sets.
“So we talked about him beating Carlos and how important it’s really going to be for him to understand that this one is going to be even tougher, you know, to bounce back after that, because a lot of people want to rest after they’ve had something good and want to celebrate it,” Bryan added.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
