World No. 682 Shocks America as Ben Shelton Bears the Nation’s Hopes at Wimbledon

Ben Shelton is making waves at Wimbledon, cruising into his second Round of 16 at SW19 without dropping a set. His only challenge came when his second-round match against Rinky Hijikata was suspended due to darkness, just a game shy of victory. Shelton returned the next day and sealed the win in under a minute. He then dispatched Márton Fucsovics in straight sets and now prepares to face Lorenzo Sonego, holding a 3-1 lead with victories at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year. Alongside Taylor Fritz, Shelton is one of only two Americans left in the men’s draw. But what’s happening back home?

While the higher-ranked players gave their all in London, America’s No. 682 ranked player, Kyle Kang from California, currently a sophomore at Stanford University, just made headlines for winning the USTA SoCal Pro Series event—a 15K ITF World Tennis Tour event at the Jack Kramer Club in greater Los Angeles on Sunday! He’s a 20-year-old ATP player yet to make it onto the tour, but perhaps he’ll make it soon!

The Stanford junior flipped the script this week, ousting former Michigan star Andrew Fenty 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-1—just days after Fenty claimed his first ITF pro singles title and beat Kang in last week’s semis. For the 20-year-old, this final four finish is a career high. “I was excited to see him next to my name in the draw and hoped to get some revenge,” Kang said. “I worked on some things over the weekend and hit a lot of serves.”

According to a tennis journalist on X, Kang’s mother, Aeri Kang, made a light joke about her son’s tennis tournaments and keeping up with the sports schedule, saying, “I’m his personal Uber driver.” That just shows the support the young star has behind him, much like his compatriots now playing on a grand stage like Wimbledon and heading into the final 16! And perhaps Shelton can relate to this kind of support in his own way!

Ben Shelton didn’t just stumble into tennis—he was born into it. His dad, Bryan Shelton, spent nine years grinding it out on the pro tour, peaking at World No. 55 and making the French Open mixed doubles final in 1992. Bryan hung up his racket at the 1997 US Open but never left the game, diving straight into coaching and shaking up the college tennis scene.

And it doesn’t stop there—Ben’s mom, Lisa, was a college standout and a top junior herself. Tennis is basically the Shelton family business! When Ben was asked by the ATP Tour in Munich about his biggest fan, he grinned, “Probably one of my parents. My mom or my dad. I think actions speak louder than words.” Isn’t that heartwarming?

And Shelton is certainly a hard worker! Always working on his form and playing style to improve and get further! But the 22-year-old also has a little more support on his side this time around!

Ben Shelton reveals his sister as his ‘lucky’ charm

Shelton powered past Márton Fucsovics in straight sets, winning 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 and claiming an impressive 81% of his first-serve points to book his spot in the Wimbledon round of 16. The 22-year-old American was all smiles in his post-match interview, opening up about the incredible support he’s felt this week. “I have been playing well this week. It’s not just me here; I have a great team. My parents are here, and my girlfriend is here. Also, my sister is here; she’s been here in every match I played in this tournament,” Shelton said warmly.

He couldn’t resist giving his sister a special shoutout, joking about her juggling work and Wimbledon. “She’s been my lucky charm, but she has work back in the US, so on Monday, she works for Morgan Stanley. So when you have something next, so… give her a couple of extra days off so she can really give this role, and that’d be great.” Shelton’s energy and gratitude were infectious.

The sibling bond was on full display on Shelton’s Instagram stories, where he captured a playful moment from his hotel room. When Ben asked his sister Emma, “You got the week off or what?” she broke into a happy dance, hoping for a yes. Ben then gave a cheeky shoutout: “Shoutout to Morgan Stanley.” Emma later reposted the clip with a twist, captioning it, “thank you MS 💙💙💙, return flight got cancelled 🤪,” adding a fun, unexpected layer to the story.

Emma Shelton’s tennis journey mirrors her brother’s passion, but she took a different route. After transferring from the University of South Carolina, she joined the Florida Gators in 2021 and made waves, notably winning all five singles matches at the 2022–23 Bedford Cup and clinching the Green Bracket individual title. While Ben chose the pro circuit, Emma now works as a Virtual Engagement Associate at Morgan Stanley, yet her love for tennis remains strong—she’s often courtside, cheering Ben on with unmatched enthusiasm.

Now, as Ben Shelton gears up for his next match against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, eyes are on him to see if he can pull off another upset and reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time. What do you think? Don’t miss out! Follow EssentiallySports’ minute-by-minute coverage of the Championships on our Live Blog for all the thrilling updates.