Alright, let’s talk about this Ben Shelton fella and his tennis rankin’. I ain’t no expert, mind you, just an old woman who watches a bit of TV when the chores are done. But I see this boy on the screen, whacking that ball hard, and people are makin’ a fuss, so I figured I’d tell ya what I know.
This young’un, Ben Shelton, he’s climbin’ up the ladder in tennis, they say. Folks call it the ATP rankings, whatever that means. Sounds fancy, huh? Like somethin’ them city folk made up. But from what I gather, the higher you are on that ladder, the better you are at hittin’ that little yellow ball.
- He’s American, that much I know. Born in some place called Atlanta, Georgia.
- His daddy, he was a coach, teachin’ them ladies how to play tennis. So, I guess that’s where this boy learned his tricks.
- Now, he’s winnin’ matches and gettin’ famous. See him on TV all the time.
They say he’s made a whole bunch of money, too. Millions, they say! Can you believe it? Five point two million dollars! That’s more money than I’ve seen in my whole life! Where does he keep it all, I wonder? Probably got a big ol’ bank account, bigger than my garden.
This boy, he ain’t just winnin’ prize money from them tennis matches. He’s got folks linin’ up to give him money just to wear their clothes and shoes! Imagine that! He’s wearin’ stuff from a company called On, backed by some other tennis fella, Federer I think they called him. Fancy shoes, I bet. Not like my old work boots, that’s for sure.
And then there’s the racquets. He uses somethin’ called Yonex. Sounds expensive. Probably helps him hit that ball harder, though. I reckon my old fly swatter wouldn’t do the trick on a tennis court.
Oh, and he’s got a watch, too. A fancy one, from a company called Rolex. I seen them watches in the store windows downtown. Shiny and gold. Must cost a pretty penny. This boy’s livin’ the high life, that’s what I say.
He went to some school called Buchholz High School. Sounds like a good school, learnin’ him all the things he needed to know. And now he lives in some place called Gainesville. Probably got a big house there, with a fancy lawn and maybe even a pool. Not like my little place out here in the country.
Folks say he’s gettin’ better all the time. Climbin’ up them rankings, winnin’ more matches, makin’ more money. It’s somethin’, ain’t it? Just a young fella from Georgia, hittin’ a ball and gettin’ rich and famous. Makes you think.
I don’t know much about tennis, but I know a hard worker when I see one. And this Ben Shelton, he’s puttin’ in the time, that’s for sure. Trainin’ and practicin’ and travelin’ all over the world. It ain’t easy, I reckon. But he’s doin’ it, and he’s doin’ it good. So, good on him, I say. Good on him for chasin’ his dreams and makin’ somethin’ of himself. He’s a good boy, that Ben Shelton, even if he does play a game I don’t quite understand.
Now, about that rankin’. It changes all the time, see. One week he’s here, the next week he’s there. It’s like the weather, always movin’ around. But he’s movin’ up, mostly. And that’s what matters. He’s gettin’ better, gettin’ stronger, gettin’ more famous. And that’s the American dream, ain’t it? Work hard, play hard, and maybe you’ll end up on top of the world. Or at least on top of the tennis rankings.
So, that’s what I know about Ben Shelton. A hard-workin’ boy from Georgia who’s good at hittin’ a tennis ball. He’s got money, he’s got fame, and he’s got a bright future ahead of him. I’ll keep an eye on him, see how he does. Maybe one day he’ll be the best in the world. Wouldn’t that be somethin’? A good ol’ American boy, makin’ us proud.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go tend to my chickens. They ain’t gonna feed themselves, you know. And they sure don’t care about no tennis rankin’!
