Ben Shelton’s mind-blowing tennis made Aslan Karatsev obliterate racquet in fit of rage
Ben Shelton chalked off a big milestone in his career by winning his first ATP title on Sunday.
He did so in fantastic style with a 7-5 6-1 straight sets win over Aslan Karatsev at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
The 20-year-old was so good at points that Karatsev smashed his racquet to pieces in frustration.
It came after the Russian threw away a 40-15 lead on his own serve to go down a double break in the second set.
Frustrations boiled over at that moment and shortly after Shelton claimed victory.
The American has enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2023 where he made the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and semi-finals at the US Open.
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“That meant a lot to me and my team,” Shelton said. “We have been working really hard since the beginning to build my game and win titles on the ATP Tour.
"I made some deep runs lately. You see the great champions, they finish weeks off. They win titles, they don’t just get to finals.
"They are able to maintain their level throughout the week.
“I am not saying I am anywhere there yet, but to be able to do it for one week, put together five matches in a row in Tokyo is really special.”
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Shelton began the season ranked 96th in the world and will begin Monday at a career-high no.15.