Ben Shelton’s debut at the Nitto ATP Finals was meant to be his big arrival on tennis’s most exclusive stage. But a tough 0-3 finish made it something he’ll want to forget. While the result undoubtedly “stings” for the 23-year-old, what matters now is the bounce back. And as he regroups, he may already have some powerful support.

Boris Becker, who burst onto the scene in the early ’80s as a teenage phenom and later collected six Grand Slam titles, knows firsthand how quickly success can sweep an athlete off course. And on the latest episode of the Becker Petkovic podcast, the 57-year-old opened up about something new: his genuine interest in training Ben Shelton.

Andrea Petkovic, on her podcast, shared a strange dream she had about Ben Shelton’s future. She imagined Becker coaching Shelton to a Grand Slam win and becoming the first player to break the Alcaraz-Sinner dominance. Petkovic even joked that if it came true, she deserved “a job as a witch or fortune teller.” Becker took the idea seriously, though.

It was “a very good dream,” but Boris Becker also noted that coaching Ben Shelton would require being “a bit American” and traveling constantly during training and tournaments. Yet, the German legend admitted the idea genuinely appealed to him.

“The player totally attracts me,” he said, adding that he understands Shelton’s style and believes he could help him grow. “If I were ten years younger and if I didn’t have my wife and child, this player totally attracts me. I understand his way of playing, his service, his aggressiveness. I’m sure I could help him.”

He also talked about how much he likes the Shelton family, pointing out that Ben’s mother comes from the tennis-strong Whitsken family.

Becker is even impressed that someone ranked No. 5 in the world still has “so much room for improvement.” In his eyes, that combination of talent and potential is rare.

The youngest Wimbledon men’s singles champ, to date, continued by praising Ben Shelton’s mentality, calling him “very strong” and someone who never seems intimidated by big moments or top opponents. He noted that Ben and his father still debate strategy, especially whether he should stay at the baseline or come to the net more. Becker agreed with the father’s view, there, pointing out that Shelton has the best serve on tour and should “go to the net more” instead of relying too heavily on baseline rallies.

Now, his 0-3 record may look harsh on paper, but the lessons tucked inside were exactly what he came seeking. And after closing out his ATP Finals debut with a 3-6, 6(3)-7 loss to Jannik Sinner, the American talked about the “eye-opening” reality check he received from facing the best in the world.

Ben Shelton admits he’s nowhere near the player he aims to be

“Certainly eye-opening. Being able to play against some of the best players in the world, [realizing] the things that I need to do better,” Ben Shelton shared. He further admitted that “I’m not the player that I want to be yet. Not close. There are so many things that I need to work on.” For the 23-year-old, this wasn’t self-criticism; it was clarity.

Even with just one title this season, the World No. 9 still finished the year ranked No. 5 and posted a solid 41-24 record. And his comments after the Sinner match sounded like a young player who knows his ceiling is much higher. Rather than brushing off the losses, he studied them.

When asked what caused his struggles at the ATP Finals, Ben Shelton mentioned it wasn’t one specific issue. “It’s just tennis,” he explained, noting that players are “wired differently.”

After being out for a bit, he said it takes him time to find his rhythm. Trying to regain that momentum at the end of the season, when everyone else is in top form, made things tougher.

He even dealt with some injury concerns heading into the Sinner match, adding to the challenge.

Still, Ben Shelton leaves Turin with more insight than frustration. The week gave him a clearer blueprint for what comes next. And as he shifts his focus to the upcoming season, he already seems motivated.