LONDON — Ben Shelton’s rise to the No. 10 spot in the ATP rankings marks a significant achievement for American men’s tennis, as he joins Taylor Fritz at No. 4 and Tommy Paul at No. 8. This trio has placed the United States in a unique position, with three men in the top 10 for the first time in nearly two decades.
The last time American men achieved this feat was back in April 2006, when the trio consisted of Andy Roddick at No. 4, James Blake at No. 7, and Andre Agassi rounding out the top 10.
Similarly, American women continue to assert their presence in the WTA’s top rankings, with four players in the top 10 and five in the top 13. Coco Gauff is at No. 2, Jessica Pegula is positioned at No. 3, Madison Keys is at No. 6, Emma Navarro holds the No. 9 spot, and Amanda Anisimova is at No. 13.
Holding tight to the No. 1 position is Aryna Sabalenka, maintaining her lead since overtaking Iga Swiatek in October. Swiatek has since slipped to No. 8. Tatjana Maria, a seasoned 37-year-old player from Germany, made a remarkable leap of 43 spots to land at No. 43, following her victory at the Queen’s Club as a qualifier.
At just 22, Ben Shelton has quickly made a name for himself in professional tennis. A former NCAA singles champion from the University of Florida in 2022, Shelton navigates through only his third full professional season. Notably, 2023 marked his debut playing outside U.S. territory. His Grand Slam record is commendable, having reached the semifinals at both the 2023 U.S. Open and the Australian Open earlier this year.
Taylor Fritz climbed three ranks, equaling his previous career best after clinching the grass-court title in Stuttgart, Germany. Meanwhile, the top spots in the men’s rankings remain unchanged, with Jannik Sinner at No. 1, followed by Carlos Alcaraz at No. 2, and Alexander Zverev at No. 3, who fell to Fritz in the Stuttgart final.