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‘Family Always Comes First’ – Sacrificing His Job for Son’s Future Leaves Ben Shelton’s Father With No Regrets as Unveiled in ‘Dream Come True’ Statement

Published 11/23/2023, 4:32 AM EST

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via Reuters

Ben Shelton isn’t the only one in his family who has graced the men’s tour with some captivating performances. Even his father, Bryan Shelton, played competitive tennis during his heyday when he amassed two singles and two doubles ATP tour titles. After his retirement, the former tennis pro embarked on a new journey within the spheres of the sport as he became the head tennis coach at the University of Florida.

However, Bryan later had to make the difficult decision of giving up his day job as he has now taken up the coaching duties for his son. Emphasizing the big decision, the 57-year-old recently opened up about how he has no regrets about it as it is ‘pretty special’.

Bryan talks about his decision to take up coaching duties for Ben Shelton

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During his recent appearance at the ATP tennis radio podcast show, the 57-year-old was asked if giving up on his role as a college tennis coach was a ‘difficult decision’ for him. In his honest response, Bryan Shelton made his stance clear as he asserted that ‘family always comes first.’

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The former American college tennis coach said, “Yeah, no family always comes first. And so to be able to combine both is kind of pretty special. Not too many people get this type of opportunity to, to do this with a son or daughter. And so the nice thing is that Ben asked me to come out here with him.”

Bryan went on to reveal that their coaching relationship has been ‘a dream come true’ for his tennis star son. He added, “And so he saw the value and having his dad and coach out here and we have a really good, you know, bond obviously, together and work well together. So it’s been just, I mean, it’s been a dream come true from him.”

The former tennis pro clearly has no regrets about his decision, as it has proved very good so far given the breakthrough campaign marked by the American ATP star during this season.

Ben Shelton experienced a breakthrough under his father’s tutelage

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The 21-year-old previously took the spotlight at his home Grand Slam event this season. Ben Shelton breezed past some of the top-ranked players, including Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul, as he secured a semifinal finish at the US Open.

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Apart from the major tournament, the American ATP player also enjoyed another phenomenal campaign at the Japan Open, under his father’s tutelage. Shelton secured the crown after outclassing Aslan Karatsev in the championship match of the outdoor hardcourt event in Tokyo.

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What do you think of the American tennis star’s remarkable campaigns under his father’s tutelage? Let us know in the comments section.

WATCH THIS STORY | Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer.

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Written by:

Anurag Gusain

1,583Articles

One take at a time

Like millions of fans around the world, my foray into the world of tennis began after witnessing the incredible domination of the ‘King of Clay’ over the past decade. It was my passion for tennis that initially drew me to the dynamic field of sports journalism. My professional journey in sports journalism with EssentiallySports has seen me cover over 1000 articles, focusing on almost every ATP and WTA tournament, including Grand Slams.
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Edited by:

Shudh.mukherjee