Monfils built an impressive career<\/a>, but over time the label of \u201cshowman\u201d began to follow him. It\u2019s a label that, at its core, hides the story of unfulfilled potential. Some might say that\u2019s simply who he is. Others might argue it was his way of surviving in professional tennis and building a career on his own terms. But underneath it all was a defense mechanism, something that shielded him from realizing he never quite managed to unlock the immense potential he carried.<\/p>\nMonfils is not a loser, far from it, but the truth is he never developed the mindset of a serial winner. His style of play, entertaining to the crowd but often self-destructive, was his way of escaping that truth. It became his comfort zone, and in the end, it made him the kind of player who, despite all the respect he deserves, will be remembered mostly as a showman.<\/p>\n
Showman, or something more<\/b><\/h3>\n
Ben Shelton shares certain similarities with Monfils.<\/p>\n
He may not be quite as naturally gifted, but when he began breaking through on the ATP Tour about three years ago, it was clear he had that same showman spark. Some people, and rightly so, saw him as a confident, even cocky kid, fond of trash talk rarely heard in tennis. But that attitude wasn\u2019t surprising considering where he came from. He arrived straight from college tennis, having played at the University of Florida, where his father Bryan Shelton, once ranked No. 55 in the world, coached the men\u2019s team and now serves as his main coach. College tennis is a world that often teeters on the edge of confrontation and has little to do with traditional tennis etiquette.<\/p>\n
That might explain why he\u2019s had far better results at Grand Slams, where he can feed off the crowd\u2019s energy, than at smaller tournaments. From the beginning, Shelton loved the big stage, and it\u2019s fair to say the big stage loved him back. He had that same showman streak and thrived on the audience\u2019s energy. And while his playing style isn\u2019t much like Monfils\u2019s, the flair and the need to perform are what connect them.<\/p>\n