Ben Shelton’s 147-mph Rocket Serve Shocks Wimbledon—Watch the Highlight Fans Can’t Stop Replaying

Ben Shelton strode into Washington, D.C., this week looking every bit the breakout American hope the ATP Tour has been waiting for—then backed up the hype with a 6-3, 6-4 dismissal of fellow countryman Mackenzie McDonald to open his DC Open campaign. Just ten days removed from a maiden Wimbledon quarter-final run, the left-hander’s trademark 140 mph serves echoed through Rock Creek Park Tennis Center and signaled that his grass-court surge was no fluke. Shelton, still only 22, has quickly turned the post-Wimbledon lull into a launchpad for the summer hard-court swing. Seeded No. 4 in Washington—his highest seeding at an ATP 500—the former Florida Gator is chasing a first tour title of 2025 after earlier finals in Munich and Dallas. “I feel fresh, and I’m striking the ball as clean as I have all season,” he told reporters after converting three of four break points against McDonald. Much of that freshness, Shelton revealed, comes from an unconventional recovery routine: daily hot-tub sessions followed by rapid-fire serve drills, a regimen he says primes both body and mind for the suffocating D.C. heat. The results were evident; he pounded 12 aces and won 86 percent of first-serve points in the opener, numbers that mirror the explosive serving displays that made him the talk of SW19. Beyond raw power, the American is adding layers to his game. Throughout Wimbledon, he showcased improved return positioning and net instincts—skills he attributes partly to his multi-sport upbringing that included a stint as a high-school quarterback. “Playing football taught me to read angles fast and stay loose under pressure,” Shelton explained. “That’s translating into cleaner returns and sharper movement at the net.” Ranked No. 11 entering Washington, Shelton has an eye on cracking the top 10 before the US Open. The draw lines up enticingly: a potential quarter-final with former champion Frances Tiafoe and a semi-final clash against world No. 5 Alexander Zverev. Victories there would not only secure his biggest trophy to date but also catapult him into the season’s North American spotlight alongside Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul. Off-court buzz is growing just as quickly. Social media clips of his sky-high celebrations and trademark “dial-it-in” phone gesture routinely explode across platforms, while ticket demand for his night matches has surged, tournament organizers report. Sponsors, sensing a charismatic star who resonates with Gen Z fans, have lined up sneaker collaborations and NIL-style content series set to roll out before Cincinnati. Yet Shelton insists the focus remains on incremental gains: higher first-serve percentages, more aggressive second-serve returns, and tactical variety on slower, high-bounce surfaces. “I’m not chasing points; I’m chasing progress,” he said. “If I keep sharpening the small things, the ranking will look after itself.” With that mindset, Ben Shelton’s march through Washington could prove a pivotal chapter in a season already filled with statement moments—from silencing the Centre Court crowd with 26 aces to embracing an ice-cold Potomac River plunge during preseason. Should he lift the DC Open trophy on home soil, the narrative shifts from next-gen promise to bona-fide U.S. title contender—a storyline that would supercharge search interest and set the stage for a blockbuster summer of American men’s tennis.