Ben Shelton received a memorable welcome at the Dallas Open, making a grand entrance for his first-round match against Aleksandar Vukic. The American player walked through a path formed by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, known as “America’s Sweethearts.”
On Tuesday, February 4, the fourth-seeded Shelton kicked off his campaign in Dallas against Australia’s Vukic. The NFL cheerleading squad greeted him by lining up on both sides, allowing Shelton to walk through them in a special and unique entry.
Watch Ben Shelton’s grand entrance at the Dallas Open here:
Like his entrance, Shelton’s performance was impressive. He secured a 6-3, 6-3 victory in just 63 minutes, advancing to the next round.
Ben Shelton compliments his Dallas Open first-round opponent, expresses confidence for the next match
In his post-match interview, Shelton praised his opponent Aleksandar Vukic for his impressive skills on the court. He mentioned, via ATP Tour:
“[He] is a great server. Actually, I beat him in my match to make the Top 100, but he bagelled me in the first set of that match, so not an easy opponent for me.”
Shelton was referencing the final of the 2022 ATP Challenger event in Champaign. Vukic won the first set 6-0 and appeared to be on track for the title, but Shelton made a remarkable comeback, winning the next two sets 6-3, 6-2.
“Breaking him three times tonight is something I draw a lot of confidence from and I’m feeling confident moving forward in the tournament,” Shelton added.
The 22-year-old had a rough start to his 2025 season, losing his opening match at the ASB Classic to Jakub Mensik as a top seed. However, he was in great form at the Australian Open, reaching his first semifinal at the Melbourne Slam before being defeated by eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Ranked World No. 13, Shelton aims to keep improving. He said:
“I don’t think it’s an overnight process. It’s more of an evolution, but I believe the steady work is paying off. I didn’t achieve all the big results I wanted last year, but I was working hard every day.”
Next for Shelton is a second-round match against either China’s Bu Yunchaokete or Spain’s Jaume Munar at the Dallas Open. He holds a 1-0 record against Munar, while if he faces Yunchaokete, it will be their first meeting on tour.
