Ben Shelton’s mission to master clay-court tennis slid off course. Can he find his feet?

Ben Shelton’s mission to master clay-court tennis slid off course. Can he find his feet?

Shelton, 22, won the Munich ATP 500 (biggest U.S. clay win since Agassi 2002) but then lost three straight opening rounds in Madrid, Rome and Hamburg. Hard-court development leaves American players structurally behind on clay; the gap won't close on intent alone.