American tennis star Ben Shelton recently showered praise on Carlos Alcaraz, stating that he is "his favorite player to share the court with." Both players are currently in NY, participating in the Garden Cup exhibition event. Before their match, they were spotted enjoying each other's company in the American city. They even attended an NBA match between the Orlando Magic and the New York Knicks. During their tennis match, they had several cheeky moments together, making the atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden quite electrifying.

Hilarious Moments on the Court

There was an instance when Carlos Alcaraz said he was doing his best but found it difficult to return Shelton's serve. After that, Shelton apologized for launching those "rockets" towards the Spaniard. Another moment saw Carlos Alcaraz hilariously "beating up" Ben Shelton after the American slipped during an electrifying rally. Alcaraz forced Shelton to come to the net and extend his entire body, leaving him on the floor while returning the ball. Although Shelton managed to get to the ball, Alcaraz comfortably put it over to the other side, resulting in Shelton losing the point. Everyone in the stadium was concerned seeing Shelton on the floor, but later Alcaraz rushed to help him and they both burst out in laughter. Then, Alcaraz jokingly imitated "beating" Shelton, which fans loved.

Alcaraz's Comeback Victory

Carlos Alcaraz came back from a set down to clinch the Garden Cup by a 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 margin. This was his third victory over Ben Shelton, with the previous one coming at the 2024 Laver Cup. Now, the Spaniard has to travel to Charlotte for The Charlotte Invitational, where he will face another American star, Frances Tiafoe.

Ben Shelton's Praise for Alcaraz

Ben Shelton hails Carlos Alcaraz as the "present and future of tennis." He mentioned that Alcaraz is good at applying pressure, taking away time, and playing aggressive tennis. Shelton said Alcaraz is a great mover on the court and has seen a lot of his achievements so far. He also revealed that he first heard about Alcaraz when he was 14 years old and was amazed by his skills at a young age. This year, Shelton has praised Alcaraz on multiple occasions. After facing defeat to Alcaraz at the 2024 Laver Cup, he said he had good chances in the first set but any small mistake against Alcaraz at that level is fatal. In October, during an interview, he highly praised Carlitos, saying he is a great athlete capable of hitting every shot imaginable, entertaining the crowd with a smile on his face, and being a personality on the court.

Alcaraz's Praise for Shelton

Well, yes! In 2023 during the Canadian Open, after beating Shelton in the R32, Carlos Alcaraz said Shelton is a really nice tennis player who hits the ball hard and he doesn't remember anyone hitting the ball like that. He serves very strong and Alcaraz almost broke the ropes to answer him. He believes Shelton will stay on the upper floors for a long time and they will play many challenges together. He also mentioned that Shelton is very aggressive, comes to the net, and doesn't let him play his game, often deciding how the rally will end.