New blood is always well received and seeing resounding and unexpected outbreaks of players who have barely had a presence on the circuit is one of the biggest attractions for fans. The ATP 250 Atlanta 2022 has given opportunities to two local tennis players who are developing in college tennis and who have proven themselves to be on the right path to be outstanding professional tennis players. Albert Martina member of Georgia Tech, decisively defeated Kokkinakis displaying unapproachable tennis, while Ben SheltonNCAA individual champion and great dominator in his three years of university career, beat Ramanathan and amazed locals and strangers.
Ben Shelton, a diamond in the rough with tennis running through his veins
This third-year player in the NCAA (19 years old) and who plays at the University of Florida, has a very strong family connection with tennis, being the son of Bryan Shelton, a professional player who became 55 in the world and won victories from prestige, like once morest Stitch at Wimbledon. He was champion in the Atlanta tournament and achieved great results on grass, and is now a coach at the University where his son plays. Ever since Ben entered the competition program, he has been able to appreciate an innate ability to compete. His left-handed condition, a height of 190 centimeters and great mobility, make him a tennis player with an offensive vocation and great dominating capacity.
His idea is to finish his studies with a fourth year competing in the NCAA and trying to repeat his enormous collective and individual successes. In his first year he registered 28 wins in 33 games, a feat within the reach of very few and that speaks of his potential, while in the third year he was already proclaimed university champion. He has wanted to combine his university stage with professional events in the summer, when there is no course, playing several ITF and Challenger tournaments, with a balance of 28 wins and only 11 losses. He gives the feeling that he is poised for great heights and will now face John Isner in Atlanta.
Andrés Martín, sports vocation in a fierce competitor
At 21 years old and having only played two ITF tournaments, this young product from Georgia Tech has given an unexpected blow in the Atlanta tournament by overwhelming Kokkinakis, with a display of total tennis and maturity. He was among the best players in the entire United States under-18, occupying sixth place, and is being one of the most outstanding tennis players at the university level in recent years, with a balance of 7-4 in his first year and 17-8 in the second. Son of Andrea Del Valle, a former professional beach volleyball player for Venezuela, and Rafael Martín, a member of the Costa Rican national basketball team in his time, he has a tremendous ability to find solutions on the court, remain calm and apply various styles of tennis depending on who the rival is. He will now face Adrian Mannarino.
