Ben Shelton had barely had time to process the biggest match of his career before he was back on a tennis court. Just days after reaching the US Open final against Alexander Zverev, the American flew to Prague to represent the United States in the Davis Cup qualifiers.
Shelton’s decision to make the quick turnaround earned plenty of respect, but it also raised questions about whether playing Davis Cup immediately after a Grand Slam final was the right move for a player still building his career.
Those questions became even louder after Shelton lost both of his singles matches as the United States fell 3-2 to Czechia.
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Kim Clijsters Tells Ben Shelton to Learn to Say ‘No’
Speaking on the Served podcast, Kim Clijsters said Shelton is still learning how to make decisions that protect his season, body and long-term career.
“I think that’s one of the lessons that Ben is still learning, right? It’s making decisions that are best for his season, for his body, for his career in the long run,” Clijsters said.
The former world No. 1 acknowledged that Shelton likely wanted to honor a commitment he had already made, something she respected. But she also explained that players eventually have to learn when to prioritize themselves.
“That’s all part of the process when you are young and you are starting to have really good results. I do like the fact that he probably made a commitment before and want to stick to that commitment,” she added.
Clijsters then drew on her own experience, admitting that she also had to learn that sometimes the right decision was to turn down national-team commitments when she needed additional time to prepare or recover.
“Sometimes, that’s one of the lessons that I had to learn too – being able to say no, and kind of be a little bit more selfish at times,” Clijsters said.
Andy Roddick Questions Ben Shelton’s Davis Cup Decision
Andy Roddick also praised Shelton and Zverev for immediately making the trip to represent their countries after the US Open. Zverev traveled to Halle and helped Germany defeat Croatia to reach the Davis Cup Final 8, while Shelton joined an under-strength U.S. team in Prague.
“That’s a good effort. Kim, I would have been on a beach. I lost a Wimbledon final and I couldn’t bring myself to go to Croatia. It’s a good effort by Zverev and Shelton. I respect it,” Roddick said.
But Roddick had the same concern as Clijsters when it came to the bigger picture.
“[But] Is it a good decision for them for the rest of the season?” he asked.
Shelton’s results in Prague added another layer to that question. He lost 4-6, 4-6 to Jiri Lehecka in his opening singles match before falling to Jakub Mensik 7-5, 4-6, 3-6 to level the tie. The American won the opening set against Mensik but could not close out the match as the teenager mounted a comeback.
The United States ultimately lost the tie 3-2, ending Shelton’s Davis Cup campaign immediately after his breakthrough run to his first Grand Slam final.
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