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Ben Shelton recently defeated Frances Tiafoe in the all-American clash at the ATP Houston Final. With this victory, the former University of Florida standout has become the tournament’s youngest champion since Andy Roddick in 2002. However, despite winning the title in Houston, the 21-year-old tennis star from Florida is annoyed to miss the NCAA women’s basketball final.

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South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by 87-75 to clinch their third NCAA women’s championship on Sunday. Dawn Staley’s South Carolina kept their winning intact throughout the tournament. They deprived Caitlin Clark of the championship in her final college game. Ben Shelton is a big fan of Caitlin Clark and he’s absolutely gutted to miss SC IOWA’s game. 

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“Only thing I’m mad about…” – Ben Shelton won the title in Houston but his mind is still in Cleveland

Shortly after his emphatic victory over the defending champion, Frances Tiafoe. Shelton took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disappointment over the clash of schedules of the two mega events in the American sports world. He wrote, “Only thing I’m mad about this weekend is that my final in Houston was at the same time as the SC IOWA game.” Ben Shelton arrived in Houston with a 2-7 win-loss record on the clay surface and had a 5-match losing streak on clay. After the match, he even went on to heap praise on Tiafoe.

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He said, “Great week Foe. Great job to you and your team,” and went on to add that he wants to meet him in the finals in the near future. Both the tennis stars have one thing in common. Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe are big basketball fans and they love watching Caitlin Clark. Just a few months ago, Frances Tiafoe even met the basketball star following her team’s victory against the University of Maryland. Tiafoe went to their dressing room and even took a picture with the talented youngster.

Although Tiafoe is a proud supporter of the DMV. He is like the rest of the US sports fans, who are in awe of Clark’s talent. He loves watching her shatter records day in and day out. But do you know there is another American tennis player who’s a big fan of Caitlin Clark?

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Just like Shelton, Tiafoe, even Coco Gauff is a huge fan of Caitlin Clark

Just a few months ago, she was even seen congratulating the 22-year-old American college basketball star when she became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball. Both Ben Shelton and Coco Gauff heaped praise on Clark for her remarkable performance recently against the LSU Tigers at the Elite Eight showdown.

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Caitlin Clark scored 41 points, made 21 assists, and 7 rebounds in that game. She also broke the record for most career 3-pointers and assists in NCAA women’s tournament history. After her stellar performance, Gauff took to Twitter and wrote, “Unreal game sheesshh @caitlinclark22.” Ben Shelton went a step further and drew a comparison of Caitlin Clark with Stephen Curry. He said, “Caitlin playing like curry rn.” Share your thoughts on these next-gen superstars of the American sporting world.

READ MORE: ATP Rankings Update: Ben Shelton, Hubert Hurkacz Gain Place as Matteo Berrettini Redeems Himself by Entering Top-100

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Sayantan Roy

3,220 Articles

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. A former competitive player, he brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his playing experience with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Ananya Giri

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