Try it, if you can.
The 21-year-old player Ben Shelton is now playing much more consistently, and on Sunday, he won Houston, beating Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. After the second set, it was possible to fold, but he kept cracking the ball, from the baselines, and he also returned when he had to.
Yes, Tiafoe has had a tough year during 2024, but he did play pretty well that week, so many when they go into the clay in Europe, then he can play much more thoughtful, on the court. He has to, as outside of that, in Houston, he lost very early over the past three months.
Shelton is still young, so he will continue to grow, month after month, and add to put out some new shots. He is now ranked No. 14, and eventually, it is possible that he can reach into the top 10, but it will take him a while, as on the clay, he will have to be very harmonious.
As Shelton said: “I love to get to net, be able to use some of my hand skills, athletic skills and going up to get the ball (to put it away).”
Go for it. He just passed Tommy Paul, who is now ranked No. 16, and in a few weeks, he can also be higher that Taylor Fritz, who just lost in the ATP 1000 Monte-Carlo.
Collins: Sunshine doubles up
How about Danielle Collins, who won it again, winning Miami, and then in Charleston, she blasted it, anytime, anywhere. She easily beat Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1 in the final, who was hurt. Even though Collins can hit it really long, out, but she keeps on attacking it, and crushing it. The 30-year-old is even smarter than she was before.
“I had a lot of matches in Miami, and I had a lot of matches here,” Collins said. “I had, at one point in this tournament, two matches in one day, which is not easy to pull off. I don’t know if I’ve done that before as a professional. I feel like the last time I did that was like in 12-and-unders. So to be able to physically battle and push myself to a new limit gives me a lot of confidence. I’ve been so happy to be, obviously, playing at the level that I’ve been playing, but to be able to back it up two weeks in a row has just been fantastic.”
Collins now has won 13 wins, and she is currently ranked No. 15. Believe it or not, she has only won four titles, which is solid, but how about a few more, this year? Try it, if you can.
NOTES
There are a bunch of events, now. Last week, there were six tournaments, which is a lot. Who will pay attention, the matches, all of them? Not many, that is for sure. This has been going on for many years, not the players that much, but with the owners, and also, with the ATP and the WTA. They are trying to change it, which is decent, but it is almost impossible to pull it, off. It is the real history, to remember everything.
Anyway, here a few more winners, who won it all: In Marrakech, Morocco, Matteo Berrettini won it, over Roberto Carballes Baena. … Pole Hubert Hurkacz took it again, beating Pedro Martinez to win the Portugal Estoril Open. … Camila Osorio won Colombia again, beating Marie Bouzkova. In Spain Maria Lourdes Carle grabbed, it.
Bang, done.