"Playing the ATP Finals is a real goal for me," Shelton doesn't hide his ambitions for the end of the season

Ben Shelton has qualified for the Round of 16 at the Toronto Masters 1000. The American, ranked 7th in the world this week, defeated Adrian Mannarino (6-2, 6-3) and will face his compatriot Brandon Nakashima late Friday night for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Currently 9th in the Race rankings, the 22-year-old player has big ambitions for the end of the 2025 season, as he stated in a press conference after his victory over the Frenchman.

"New York (referring to the US Open) is the tournament I mark first on the calendar every year, and even more so this year. Playing the ATP Finals in Turin is a real goal for me.

At this time of year, I’ve never been in a position where I’ve given myself the opportunity to achieve that. I think it’s the next step for me. I’d also like to establish myself among the top spots in the rankings, and we’ll see.

I’d say those are two important things for me, but they’re a bit further in my mind compared to the daily on-court aspects I’m trying to improve," he told Tennis Up To Date.