For children of former professional tennis players, the opportunity to measure their skills against their parent can be a pivotal moment. It`s a fascinating dynamic in a sport seeing an increasing number of rising stars with parents who have walked the pro circuit before them.
Ben Shelton, guided by his father, former pro Bryan Shelton, eagerly sought the chance to compete head-to-head with him as a young player. However, his father was hesitant. “My dad never allowed me to play against him,” Shelton told ESPN. He later humorously added in an interview that he didn`t think his dad ever would, suggesting Bryan likely still believed he could win.
This challenge of defeating a parent is almost a symbolic step for players following in their professional footsteps, yet not everyone gets or even wants the opportunity.
Norway`s Casper Ruud, son of former top-40 player Christian Ruud, who served as an inspiration for Casper`s rise to three major finals and a world No. 2 ranking, represents a competitive duo. They disagree on the exact age Casper consistently began winning against his father (Casper claims 14 or 15, Christian says 17). Christian even introduced a wager system during matches when Casper was 14: Casper owed $20 if he lost 6-0 or 6-1, but earned $10 for every game he won beyond 6-2. Casper once won a 6-3 match unexpectedly at 14, but regular victories started around 15 or 16.
Casper felt no guilt in surpassing his father`s level. “His trajectory was going down, and mine was going up,” Ruud explained. “So at some point, our paths were bound to cross. Physically, he wasn`t at his peak player level anymore. It felt like just a matter of time.”
Maria Sakkari is among the few female players with a former professional parent. Her mother, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, was also a top-40 player. Sakkari remembers playing practice games and tiebreaks with her mom when she was very young and her mother was still active before a severe knee injury ended her career. For Sakkari, her mother`s understanding of the professional tennis journey is more significant than having beaten her.
“I think she truly enjoys that I became better than her and that we had the chance to practice a bit together years ago,” Sakkari stated. “But it`s equally important that she maintains her primary role as a mother. She offers advice, but that`s her limit, which is wonderful because it creates a great family balance.”
Canadian Denis Shapovalov was coached for many years by his mother, Tessa Shapovalova, a former player on the Soviet Union national team. Shapovalov mentioned they never played formal matches against each other.
“We did play point scenarios and drills, especially when I was quite young,” Shapovalov recalled. He noted seeing old YouTube videos of himself as a child casually hitting with his mother. He enjoyed playing her, but they never competed in full sets. He admitted, “I always felt like she could still beat me.”
Seb Korda, son of former Australian Open champion Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtova, who was a top-30 player, is still awaiting his first win against either parent. “I have never defeated either of them,” the American player confessed. “The last time I played my dad, I believe I was 13, and he either bageled me or double-bageled me. We never played again after that.” Korda is confident he would win if they played now but prefers not to. “He`s forever my idol, and it would feel strange to play him in a match and win.”
Jack Draper`s father, Roger Draper, wasn`t a pro but was a skilled player who later became CEO of the Lawn Tennis Association. Jack, currently ranked No. 4, said it wasn`t until around age 12 or 13 that he could beat his dad. His brother took a bit longer.
Beyond the goal of beating his father, Draper highlighted the value of growing up in a sports environment. “Especially having an older brother who always beat you,” he noted, “whether it was ping pong, tennis, or anything, it really cultivates that competitive spirit until you finally defeat them. For instance, my brother and I played once, and he won. He`ll always hold that over me.”
Taylor Fritz`s mother, Kathy May, reached the world`s top 10 during her career. For a young Fritz, beating his mom was significant, but it wasn`t as monumental as when he surpassed her career-high ranking.
“I think I started being able to beat my mom around age 14,” Fritz said. “I could beat my dad earlier because he`s quite a bit older. The real big deal, I think, was surpassing her career-high ranking and being able to say that I`m the best player in the family.”
Marcus Bellamy