"I gotta see it with my own eyes": Ben Shelton on making Top 10 debut

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There’s a big breakthrough on the ATP rankings today, as American Ben Shelton rises from No. 12 to No. 10—his Top 10 debut—after reaching the first grass-court semifinal of his career in Stuttgart.

He’s the first U.S. man born in the 2000s to break into the elite.

And there’s more.

With Shelton’s countrymen Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul currently at No. 4 and No. 8, this is also the first time there are three American men inside the Top 10 at the same time in almost two decades.

The last time this happened was the week of April 17th, 2006, when—with almost identical rankings to this week—Andy Roddick was No. 4, James Blake was No. 7 and Andre Agassi was No. 10.

That was actually Agassi’s final career week in the Top 10.

Fritz jumps from No. 7 back to his career-high of No. 4 this week after winning his first title of the year in Stuttgart. Paul rose to his new career-high of No. 8 a week ago after reaching the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, which was his third quarterfinal at the last four majors.

And it’s possible we could have four American men in the Top 10 soon, with Frances Tiafoe lurking just outside the elite at No. 13...

The United States is the only country with three men in the current Top 10. Italy has the next-most with two.

The United States is the only country with three men in the current Top 10. Italy has the next-most with two.

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Shelton is the seventh man born in the 2000s from anywhere to break into the Top 10, and the fourth man born in 2002 or later to do it, after Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti.

MEN BORN IN 2000s TO REACH ATP TOP 10:

  • Felix Auger-Aliassime [born in 2000, Top 10 debut in 2021]
  • Jannik Sinner [born in 2001, Top 10 debut in 2021]
  • Carlos Alcaraz [born in 2003, Top 10 debut in 2022]
  • Holger Rune [born in 2003, Top 10 debut in 2022]
  • Jack Draper [born in 2001, Top 10 debut in 2025]
  • Lorenzo Musetti [born in 2002, Top 10 debut in 2025]
  • Ben Shelton [born in 2002, Top 10 debut in 2025]

Meanwhile, a little further down the ATP rankings, there’s another breakthrough for a player born in the 2000s, as 23-year-old Canadian Gabriel Diallo rises from No. 55 to No. 44—his Top 50 debut—after capturing the first ATP title of his career in ’s-Hertogenbosch.

Perhaps surprisingly, he's just the second Canadian in the entire Open Era to win an ATP title on grass, after Greg Rusedski at Newport in 1993, before he switched representation to Great Britain in 1995.