The Southern Tennis Foundation (STF) announces the induction of three tennis luminaries into the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame: Eddie Gonzalez, Paul Pittman and Bryan Shelton.
Huntsville, Ala. native Bryan Shelton won two ATP Tour singles titles on the grass courts of Newport and reached No. 55 in the world. He became the first head coach in DI college tennis history to win a women's national title (Georgia Tech in 2007) and a men's national championship (Florida in 2021). He was named the 2007 ITA National Coach of the Year, the ACC Coach of the Year four times and SEC Coach of the Year four times.
The foundation plans to officially honor the inductees with a ceremony at the Lucy Garvin Southern Tennis Hall of Fame Banquet, scheduled for January 18, 2025, in Atlanta.
Bryan Shelton: No. 55 ATP Player Succeeds as College, Pro Coach
Highlights
• Reached No. 55 in the world in singles on ATP Tour.
• Won two singles crowns at Newport, becoming the first Black player to win a singles title since Arthur Ashe in 1978.
• Won two ATP Tour doubles titles, teaming with Pat Rafter and Francisco Montana.
• Named ACC Player of the Year and singles champion in 1985, and selected an All-American at Georgia Tech.
• Became the first head coach in DI college tennis history to win a women's national title (Georgia Tech in 2007) and a men's national championship (Florida in 2021).
• Named the 2007 ITA National Coach of the Year, the ACC Coach of the Year four times and SEC Coach of the Year four times.
• Coached his son, Ben, into the top 15 on ATP Tour.
Bryan Shelton’s success in collegiate tennis – from an All-American to two-time NCAA champion coach – had a notable stop in between.
During his professional career, Shelton won two titles on the ATP Tour, shot up to No. 55 in the world and won more than $1.2 million.
The native of Huntsville, Ala., won twice on the grass courts of Newport. In 1991 he defeated American Todd Martin in the semifinal and downed Javier Franca in a three-set final. He was the first Black player to win a singles title since Arthur Ashe won Los Angeles in September 1978. Next year Shelton soared again in Newport, defeating Franca in the semifinal and Austrian Alex Antonitsch in the final.
Competing in the Georgia capital, Shelton advanced to the Atlanta tournament final in 1993 when it was played on green clay.
Shelton also claimed two doubles titles. He joined with Francisco Montana when they downed the Atlantan brother duo of Luke and Murphy Jensen at the 1994 Mexico City tournament. Three years later, he teamed with Pat Rafter to defeat the heralded Woodies – Tood Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde – in 1997 Adelaide.
American Lori McNeil was his partner when they advanced to the French Open mixed doubles final, losing to Woodbridge and Arantza Sanchez-Vicario.
The story of Shelton’s rise as a player can be traced to his success and connection to Georgia Tech. From 1985-88 Shelton was an All-American and four-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, helping guide the Jackets to a school-record 26 dual-match wins as a senior in 1988. Shelton was ACC Player of the Year and singles champion in 1985.
He earned a B.A. in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech in March 1990.
