Ben Shelton is currently making millions of American fans dream owing to his exploits at the US Open. The American star was not on the radar of many fans at the start of the season. He performed well in the smaller tournaments, but he was not known to go big in the majors. He has turned it around completely and has fought his way to the US Open semifinal. As he prepares to play the biggest match of his career against Novak Djokovic, his former coach made a big prediction. 

The hype for Shelton is not undeserved. The 20-year-old American has gone big at this year’s showpiece event in New York. One of his biggest wins came with a unique record for the player. Now, his fan following has skyrocketed.

Former coach makes bold prediction about Ben Shelton

When the season began, not many expected to see a lot from Ben Shelton. The player reached the quarterfinal of the Australian Open but couldn’t advance far in the other tournaments, including slams, Masters and ATP 500 events. Going into the US Open, the expectations did not change much, but Shelton proved his doubters wrong.

The current world No. 47 is set to move much higher after the slam as he will play in the semifinal against Novak Djokovic. His stint has impressed his former coach, Scott Perelman, who went on to make a big prediction about his former student, according to The Gainsville Sun. 

“This is not chopped meat, this is the best players in the world, and how he manages to work his way through the draw is pretty darn special,” Perelman said. He further added, “Is he doing what Alcaraz or Djokovic is doing? No, not yet, but you keep watching. It’s right around the corner.”

Read More – Inspired by Ace King John Isner, Rising American Star Ben Shelton Dishes Out ‘Mental Affects’ Verdict as He Sets US Open Record With a 147MPH Bomb

Perelman firmly believes that Shelton will manage to rise to the level of Alcaraz and Djokovic one day. Witnessing his serves in the championship, one cannot completely deny the coach’s claims.

Shelton hits unreturnable serves

During his bout against Tommy Paul, Shelton was ready to demolish his opponent. He won the match in four sets, but one of his games stood out. He finished one game in 63 seconds, which consisted of three aces and a serve Paul was unable to return. Not only that, but Shelton also hit two 149 mph serves, which is a record for the second-fastest serve in the history of the US Open.

Now, he will face Novak Djokovic in the semifinal of the championship and aim to recreate his massive serve. It certainly promises to be an enthralling battle, as the second-coming of Roddick will be facing the Djoker who, arguably, has the best return of serve in the history of the sport. 

Watch This Story – Roger Federer Fan Boy And Young Tennis Star Voices Serena Williams Opinion