‘So Many Things I’ve Been Frustrated About’ – Ben Shelton Makes Feelings Clear Ahead of DC Open

Ben Shelton hasn’t quite been able to make sense of his 2026 season so far. While he has enjoyed plenty of highs, he has also endured several uncharacteristic early exits, leaving him questioning his form.

The American is hoping for a steady campaign in North America as he begins the swing he “really enjoys” with the Mubadala DC Open.

Ben Shelton Affected by His Inconsistency as US Open Nears

Shelton kicked off his 2026 Grand Slam season by advancing to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third time in his young career, although he was unable to match his semifinal finish from 2025.

He won his career’s fourth title at the very next tournament, the ATP 500 Dallas Open. The Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami), though, was a disappointing stretch for the American, as he was limited to just one victory.

“It’s been a weird season for me this year. A lot of highs, a lot of lows,” Ben Shelton said during his pre-tournament press conference in Washington, D.C., according to the ATP Tour.

Shelton won his second title of the year at the ATP 500 in Munich but again failed to replicate the success at the two Masters 1000 events that followed (Madrid and Rome), losing his opening match both times. The poor run of form leaked into the French Open, where he was knocked out in the second round.

With renewed hope, the 23-year-old made a winning start to his grass campaign, winning his third trophy of 2026 in Stuttgart. But again, he couldn’t make it count on the biggest stage and waved goodbye to Wimbledon in the first round.

“I’ve won more titles than I’ve ever won in a year. Only halfway done with the year. At the same time, there are so many things that I’ve been frustrated about, disappointed with, in my game,” Shelton said on Saturday.

Ranked No. 6 in the world, Shelton has won 25 matches this year against 11 losses. While Jannik Sinner and Raphaël Collignon secured comprehensive victories against him at the Australian Open and the French Open, respectively, his remaining losses have largely come in the deciding sets.

Over the past 52 weeks, Shelton ranks third on the ATP serve leaderboard and is the ninth-best player under pressure. His return rating, however, has been alarming, placing him 79th on the leaderboard. Ahead of the Mubadala DC Open, he conceded that his “overall performances” have left him annoyed.

“I don’t know how much of it has been just my level or specific matches, specific situations, decision-making. But for me, I’m somebody who tries to be consistent; I try to be consistent with the way I train, the way I live, how I go about my day-to-day life.”

“I guess the inconsistency of my play is what I’ve been more frustrated about,” he said. “I think some of the frustration comes from those early-round exits that are kind of like the trap rounds for me. I think that being able to be more consistent week in and week out in those situations is important for me.”

Ben Shelton is, however, hopeful of a turnaround as he prepares for the North American hardcourts. “I think that there’s a lot of room for improvement in the second half of the year, and I’m in a part of the season that I really enjoy and that I play really well in.”

The 2023 US Open semifinalist acknowledged the progress he has made in collecting titles, having won four over the past 12 months. “One of my biggest goals on Tour is to get to the end of tournaments and finish off the week and win titles, which is a part that I didn’t have as much before, but I’m getting better and better at now.”

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Shelton soon faces the challenging task of defending his maiden Masters 1000 title in Montréal. To prepare for the tournament, he would hope for a deep run at the Mubadala DC Open, where he awaits a qualifier/lucky loser in the first round.