ATP Tour

Shelton on Turin qualification: ‘It’s a massive motivation’

Ben Shelton returns to singles action this week at the Rolex Shanghai Masters with plenty still to play for in 2026.

The American has not competed in a singles event since his breakthrough run to the US Open final last month, where he became just the second American man to reach the championship match in New York since Andy Roddick in 2006.

Although Shelton ultimately fell to Alexander Zverev, the lefty emerged from Flushing Meadows with his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes significantly strengthened. With just five weeks to go until the season finale in Turin, the 23-year-old arrives in Shanghai third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, and with a place among the world's best firmly in his sights.

“I think it is a massive motivation,” Shelton said to ATP Media when asked about how big of a motivator Nitto ATP Finals qualification is. “I want to be there playing in the Final eight. I want end of year Top-5 finish for the first time. I think there are a lot of things to look forward to at the end of this year and I am just excited about the position I am in to be able to compete for something big at the end of the year. I think I am in a good position but I feel there is still a lot of work to do.”

Last year, Shelton made his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals, but was unable to earn victory in any of his three round-robin matches. The 23-year-old arrives in Shanghai having already earned 39 tour-level victories this year, just three fewer than his previous career best season of 2024.

Shelton will need to advance to the semi-finals in Shanghai to surpass that mark this fortnight but has fond memories at the ATP Masters 1000 event, having reached his first quarter-final at the level in China in 2023.

“I had my first big Masters breakthrough here,” Shelton said. “I had some great wins here. I think it is a special place. I think this is one of the best Masters tournaments on Tour. It is run so well. The centre court is great and for me it has been a great tournament and I hope to build on some of the success I’ve had here and go a step further and have some real runs here in the future.”

Shelton will open against Holger Rune, who is competing in just his second tour-level event of the season following his Achilles injury, or Daniel Altmaier. The American is chasing his fifth title of the year in Shanghai and is hoping to feel the support when he walks onto court.

“It is crazy,” Shelton said on the support he receives in China. “From the moment you land at the airport, it is the one country you come to and there are fans there, screaming at the airport. It is a pretty cool feeling. I feel that we are loved and accepted here and they do love coming to watch the tennis and it has been really enjoyable to see the fanbase grow over the years.”

The ATP Masters 1000 event begins on Wednesday and runs until Sunday 18 October. Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz are the top two seeds.