Ben Shelton experienced his third consecutive defeat on the ATP Tour on June 25 at the Mallorca Championships, losing in straight sets to fellow American Learner Tien in the second round. This unexpected loss prompted tennis fans to question Shelton’s consistency and whether he deserves to hold a place in the men’s top 10 rankings, fueling debate about his performance level.
Before this streak of defeats, Shelton had a solid season, with a 19-14 match record at tour-level events. His notable achievements in 2025 include reaching the Australian Open semifinals, finishing as runner-up at the BMW Open, and breaking into the ATP top 10 earlier this month.
Recent Dip in Performance Undermines Shelton’s Ranking Status
Despite Shelton reaching a career-high singles ranking of No. 10 in June, his form has notably declined. After a first-round exit to Arthur Rinderknech at the Queen’s Club Championships, Shelton was defeated by the world number 67, Learner Tien, 4-6, 6-7(2) in just one hour and 41 minutes at the Eastbourne Open second round. This latest loss marks Shelton’s third in a row, raising concerns about his ability to maintain his top 10 position.
The results have drawn critical reactions from the tennis community, especially on social media platforms, where many fans expressed disbelief over Shelton’s ranking.
“Shelton being a top 10 player is a crime to tennis history,” —tennis fan
“Tien’s game is good for grass. Big Ben in the TOP 10 is insane, with all due respect, lol,” —fan commenting on Shelton’s ranking
“Ben might be the worst player in the top 10,” —critical spectator
“Shelton is a fraud scammer. Not a top 10 player at ALL,” —disgruntled fan
Additional reactions from social media voices highlighted skepticism and frustration toward Shelton’s current form and ranking.
“If anyone says that wasnt rigged by shelton you’re blind, absolutely blind haha,” —user joking about the match outcome
“Worst I’ve seen Ben in ages needs to sort it for next week,” —fan urging improvement
“If Shelton came along 10 years ago he’d be playing in challengers all the time,” —comment implying Shelton’s ranking is undeserved
Ben Shelton Preparations and Ambitions for Wimbledon
Despite the recent unbeaten streak disruption, Shelton remains focused on his upcoming challenge at Wimbledon. The 22-year-old American has shown competitive potential on grass courts, reaching the fourth round and second round in his two previous Wimbledon appearances.
Last year at Wimbledon, Shelton demonstrated resilience by defeating opponents such as Denis Shapovalov, Lloyd Harris, and Mattia Bellucci in five-set matches to advance to the tournament’s second week. His run ended in the Round of 16 against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, where he lost in straight sets, but his performance reaffirmed his ability to compete at a high level on the surface.
Looking ahead, Shelton is expected to aim for a deeper run in Wimbledon 2025, hoping to capitalize on his previous experience and regain momentum after his recent losses.