Ben Shelton has received plenty of applause on the tennis court. This weekend, the American received it on a football field and volleyball court.

Shelton returned home to the University of Florida, where he was a star on the tennis team under his father, then-head coach Bryan Shelton. The recent US Open semi-finalist was recognised Saturday in front of 90,751 fans inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during Florida’s 29-16 football win over the University of Tennessee.

The big-serving lefty was on the sideline to take in the action wearing the jersey of former Gator Kyle Pitts, who is currently a star for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

Photo: Ashley Ray/Florida Athletics
On Sunday, Shelton hit the honourary first serve ahead of the University of Florida’s volleyball match against the University of Wisconsin. The crowd of 10,323 in attendance was a Southeastern Conference home match record and state of Florida on-campus record.

Shelton will soon turn his attention to a return to action at the Laver Cup, where he will make his Team World debut.