When I Say I Was SWEATING During The Tie Break

Petition to put ben in team Europe instead of zverat because he's the only one that deserve the win

TRAIN WITH ME ~Ben Shelton

Part 1

Ben shelton x reader

Prompt: you are a tennis player and your father trains you, too much. One day you faint and after you and ben happen to see each other.

Warnings: abuse, overtraining, fainting, mentions of hospitals

You're supposed to be the N1

You're supposed to be a rising star

You're supposed to be in the top 10

You're supposed to train bett

You're supposed to have a perfect technique

You're supposed to win every match, every point

You're supposed to serve better, to never double fault

You are a failure

A failur

A failu

A fail

A fai

A fa

A f

A

These are your thought, slowly fading away as you faint, on the cold floor of the hotel gym. After training for five hours in a row with your dad.

Those thoughts. They were the words your father say to you, every god damn day of your life.

Five hours ago, he dragged you away from the food you were eating, you didn't deserve it, he said. You only need to train, train, and train.

He made you run for three hours, only taking two little breaks, that was more than enough, your father said.

It's 6pm, he went to book a court for two hours for you to train after ‘dinner’, which he won't let you eat.

I will introduce yourself, if you let me. You are the child of a ex-pro player, your father was, twenty years ago, a slam champion and the n1 in the world.

When you were born, he didn't wanted a child. He wanted a prodigy. A pro student and player.

Your family, being rich, always made teacher come to your house to teach you, homeschooling you for years. The only time you would socialize where when your father would take you to elegant events about tennis or introduce you to other rich people. They usually were all adults, and the kids you would befriend in those nights were all spoiled and already acting like adults. They had the latests phones and clothes, they had perfect grades and everything they wanted, you, on the other side, had the things you needed to live when you deserved them. If you didn't train your father won't feed you or make you sleep in the cold and old basement.

At four years old, you were already winning kid tournaments, at 10 you won the national under 10 tournament, at 12 the under 12 one, at 14 the under 14 one, and at 15 your father made you play qualifying in the us open, you played small tournaments before in other countries, some 250 or 500 and a challenger 1000, but never a slam.

That week you won three rounds, but you got another qualifier prodigy at the fourth, which you lost to.

And your father let's say…he wasn't happy. The opposite. He was in the stands when you lost, your opponent celebrating, you shook hands and saw your fathers glare. You knew what was coming. And it was terrible.

That night you got beaten by him. And hard. You still have those scars, and you slept in the basement.

But what does you mom do to your father treating you like shit? Nothing.

She can't do anything. She's dead. A disease, the doctors says.

The truth?

Your father poisoned her slowly, it made her develop a disease. And the doctors? Corrupted by him.

Let's get back to the current time.

When your father left you sat on the floor of the empty gym, your father paid the hotel to have it exclusively for you when you wanted (when he did, just to specify, you had no word on this).

Your heart beating fast, too fast. It feels like it'll explode any second. Your ears were ringing, your vision blurry, your whole body not just sore, but exhausted by the excessive training.

You fainted.

Two hours later, getting shoken by someone made you regain consciousness. It was you father calling you to train.

In the two hours he left you were supposed to get back to your hotel room and study, and he's already mad because you're still in the gym.

“Were you sleeping, huh? Don't lie! I told you you had to study! What were you doing?! Resting? You don't need that!” He slapped you. Your left cheek reddening.

He made you get up and pushed you outside, then to the tennis courts.

You had to train with the strength you didn't had, the only this you looked towards every day was sleep.

You entered the court, there were hard courts divided by two benches and a umpire seat.

You didn't think that any other player would be playing in those courts, since usually your father books a secluded one where there's just you two training, because he has the habit to yell at you when you make mistakes.

But you see a young player in the second court, you recognize him, *Ben Shelton*, you never actually look at others players or chat with them, but sometimes Ben came to you to chat since you started playing professionally.

You wave at him, hoping he won't notice the eyebags under your eyes and the state you're in. More on the other side than on earth.

Ben was training with his father and coach, Bryan, having a parent as a coach isn't a pleasant thing, for you. But Ben seems to love being coached by Bryan. Well, can't blame him, Bryan's a sweet man, not an abuser.

You place your bag on the bench near the one where put his. You father was still at the gate, chatting with another coach, while Ben and Bryan came to you.

“hey! Long time no see, huh? Been some months since we talked, I wonder why you never get seen anywhere other than tennis courts. Anyway, how's it going?” Ben says

“Hey, nice to see you again ben! I'm alright, a bit tired, my old man's killing me. But don't tell him I'm complaining” you joke, still by telling a truth.

“Mine isn't taking back either, I feel like dying every practice ahah”

“That's not true, ben, I train you the right amount. Not too much, like their father does. Are you sure you're not training too much, bud?” Bryan chimes in.

You're eyes widen the much they can because you're so tired to actually make a shocked expression, what do you reply to that? You could tell the truth, ben was the closest thing you had to a friend after all, or you could lie, and if they believed you you'll probably faint again and go to the hospital.

You stay silent for a moment, their eyes locked on your face, concerned and worried about you.

What will happen? Find out in part 2!!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this at school so it might not be that good, but let me know what you think! Should I continue this?? I already have the part two in mind but no spoilers🤭

Say It louder

not only is paris bercy the worst because of everyone being tired or ill ... the french crowd is so nasty omg they literally cheer at foreign players' mistakes it's embarrassing. out of all the tournaments this crowd is the worst i swear.

paris bercy has the #1 worst crowd in all of tennis for sure

As an Italian I hate French people even more now because they booed ben the whole match... Like...poor baby...I feel bad..

Under the Stars

After a long day of training, Ben invites the reader for a romantic evening under the stars in his backyard. With fairy lights twinkling overhead and a cozy picnic set up, they enjoy each other’s company, share dreams, and strengthen their bond. As the night deepens, heartfelt confessions lead to a passionate moment that brings them even closer together.

The sun had just set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink as you stepped into Ben's backyard. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, and you felt an undeniable warmth as you took in the romantic scene before you. Fairy lights twinkled above, casting a soft glow over the picnic blanket laid out on the grass, surrounded by an array of your favorite snacks.

“Hey, you made it!” Ben called, his voice filled with genuine excitement as he turned from the cooler, where he was pulling out drinks. He looked relaxed in a fitted T-shirt and shorts, his hair slightly tousled from practice.

“Of course! You think I’d miss an invitation from you?” you replied with a playful grin, your heart fluttering at the sight of him.

He moved closer, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you into a warm embrace. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with the evening air made you feel at home. “I was hoping you’d come,” he murmured against your hair.

As you settled onto the blanket, Ben poured you both glasses of sparkling water, the bubbles rising playfully. You started munching on your favorite snacks, sharing stories and laughing about the day’s training.

After a while, the conversation turned more serious. Ben leaned back on his hands, looking at you with an intensity that made your heart race. “You know, I’ve been thinking about how much you mean to me,” he began, his voice soft yet steady.

You met his gaze, curiosity and anticipation swirling inside you. “What do you mean?” you asked, your heart pounding in your chest.

He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving yours. “I don’t just see you as my girlfriend. You’re my partner, my support. You make me better on and off the court, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”

His words sent a rush of warmth through you, making your cheeks flush. “I feel the same way, Ben. You’ve brought so much joy into my life, and I can’t help but fall for you more every day.”

He smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile that made your heart flutter. “I want to build a future with you. I want us to experience everything together, the highs, the lows, and all the in-between moments that make life special.”

You felt tears of happiness prick at your eyes as you took in his confession. “I want that too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

In that moment, the world faded away, and it was just the two of you beneath the stars. Ben leaned in, capturing your lips in a soft, lingering kiss. It was tender yet passionate, conveying all the love and affection you shared. When you pulled back, your foreheads resting against each other, you couldn’t help but smile.

“Maybe we should do this more often,” you suggested, your voice light with affection.

Ben chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Definitely. How about we make it a weekly thing? Just you and me, under the stars?”

“I’d love that,” you said, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you.

As you leaned back, resting against his shoulder, the night deepened around you, filled with laughter, whispers, and promises for the future. In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of his presence, you knew this was exactly where you belonged.

The Matchmaker - Ben Shelton

I never thought the day I met Coco Gauff would lead me to the love of my life. Tennis was never really my thing, I was more of a “sit on the couch with snacks and watch” type of person. But my best friend, Coco, was a different story. She lived and breathed the game, and somehow, our worlds collided through that love of hers.

It all started when she dragged me to one of her matches. I’d been to a few before, always cheering loudly, pretending I knew what a “double fault” was. But this one was special. She had just turned 20, and it felt like she had the world at her feet.

After the match, Coco insisted I come backstage with her. “Come on, you’re practically family,” she said, throwing her arm around me as we navigated through the bustling crowd of fans and media.

As soon as we entered the players' lounge, I was hit with a wall of tennis players chatting, stretching, and looking far more relaxed than they had any right to be after hours of intense games. I tried to keep it cool, but my heart started racing when I realized that I was surrounded by some of the biggest names in tennis.

“Hey, I want you to meet someone,” Coco nudged me, grinning like she knew something I didn’t. Before I could ask who, a tall, strikingly handsome guy with messy, curly hair and the brightest smile I’d ever seen walked over. He was all golden skin, bright energy, and… well, completely out of my league.

“Ben!” Coco called, waving him over as if she hadn’t just won one of the biggest matches of the tournament. “This is Y/N, my best friend.”

“Hey, nice to meet you,” Ben said, his voice warm as he extended his hand. When our fingers touched, it felt like I’d stuck my hand in an electrical socket. I managed to stammer out a “hi” as Coco continued.

“She’s been to almost all my matches. Kind of like my personal cheerleader.”

“Sounds like you’re the real MVP here,” Ben said, flashing me that winning smile of his. Was it just me, or was he looking at me a little too intently? The air between us suddenly felt charged, and I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it.

The next hour was a blur of jokes, light teasing from Coco, and Ben being… well, perfect. He was funny, sharp, and made me laugh so hard my sides ached. When he left to catch up with his team, I gave Coco a look.

“Okay, what was that?” I asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

She smirked, crossing her arms. “That was me introducing you to someone who might just be your perfect match.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, come on. You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I? I saw the way you two looked at each other. And he never acts like that around anyone,” she teased, bumping my shoulder.

I shrugged it off, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Over the next few weeks, Coco invited me to a few more tournaments, and every time, Ben was there. We’d chat, laugh, and spend more time together, and soon, I found myself looking forward to seeing him more than the actual matches.

One evening after a particularly tough match for Ben, he found me alone in the players' lounge. Everyone else had gone, leaving just the two of us. I could tell he was frustrated, his forehead was creased, and he had that “I’m still replaying every mistake” look in his eyes.

“Rough day?” I asked softly as he sat beside me, running a hand through his curls.

“Yeah. I just couldn’t get in the zone. Everything felt off,” he muttered, his shoulders slumping.

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I just stayed quiet, offering him a soft smile. Eventually, he turned to me, his eyes softening.

“You know, I’ve been thinking…” he started, trailing off as he looked down at his hands.

I raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

“These past few weeks have been… different. Because of you.” His voice was quieter now, and I felt my heart start to race again, just like the first time we met.

“Oh?” I tried to play it cool, but my voice cracked slightly.

He chuckled at my attempt to stay calm, but then his expression grew serious. “You’ve become someone I really care about, Y/N. I… I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ve never felt this way before.”

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him, trying to process his words.

“I feel the same way,” I whispered, and the smile that spread across his face was enough to light up the entire room.

Before I knew it, Ben had closed the distance between us, gently cupping my face in his hands. Our lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, and I felt every nerve in my body light up. It was gentle at first, like we were testing the waters, but soon, it deepened, and I felt like I was floating.

When we finally pulled apart, Ben rested his forehead against mine, both of us smiling like idiots.

“I guess Coco was right,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin.

“About what?”

“That we’re perfect for each other.”

Since that day, everything changed. Coco loved to remind us that she’d basically played matchmaker, claiming full credit for our relationship. And honestly? I wasn’t going to argue with her.

Ben and I were inseparable. From late-night calls when he was on the road, to quiet mornings spent tangled up together on off-days, every moment with him felt like a dream. He was kind, thoughtful, and made me laugh in ways I never thought possible. And when he held me close, it was like the world outside didn’t exist.

One year after we officially got together, we found ourselves at another one of Coco’s tournaments. This time, I was more interested in Ben’s matches than ever before, cheering him on like my life depended on it. And every time he looked up at me from the court, my heart skipped a beat.

During a break, I spotted Coco grinning at us from across the court, raising her eyebrow in that knowing way. She walked over, giving me a tight hug.

“See? I told you I’m good at this matchmaking thing,” she said, winking.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide the smile on my face. “Okay, okay. You were right.”

“Of course I was,” she said, flipping her hair dramatically.

I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling grateful for her, and for Ben. If it weren’t for that fateful introduction, I never would’ve met the person who made my world a little brighter every day.

I’ll forever be thankful to Coco for bringing Ben into my life.

WRONG HOODIE ~Ben shelton

Pairing: ben shelton x male reader, carlos alcaraz x best friend reader, team Europe x reader, laver cup x reader

Prompt: you and your bf both plays the laver cup, but in different teams, what happens when you accidentally swap hoodies?

You would love to hang out with your boyfriend in public, go on dates, hold hands, hug, kiss…but you can't. Your relationship is a secret. Tennis isn't as open minded as you'd like, lots of people are homophobic, and will hate on you for being in a gay relationship.

But you love to share hotel rooms and locker rooms on tour, cuddling in the king size beds after getting confused stares from the receptionists asking if it got confused for a two beds room.

this time, you both got selected for the laver cup, him on team world, you on team Europe.

You couldn't book or choose the hotel. Since the teams slept in separated hotels near the arena, already reserved for them with every need.

When you arrived in Berlin, on a private jet with ben, you got the gear, the blue hoodie and your sponsor’s personalized for the event blue shirt and black shorts.ben got the same things, but in red.

You visit the arena, chat with the other players, share looks and smirks with ben, then head to Europe team’s locker room with Carlos alcaraz, seeing ben stare on him, he's jealous.

You're in the locker room with him, joking, he's one of your best buddies, you love playing with and against him

“Man, I'm so excited for this years laver cup!” He says with his strong Spanish accent

“Me too! I actually can't believe I got selected by Björn for Europe team, we'll win, we got this” you say with your accent, the one that drives ben crazy

“I really want to play doubles with you, or Grigor, but Borg alredy told me he won't make me play with him, I hope with you tho, we'd make a great doubles team”

“Me too, imagine me and you against ben and Taylor, crazy” you make up a scenario about it in your mind, alredy seeing ben sticking out his tongue at you when he aces you or pouting like a child when you'll make a winner on his side

“Oh Dios mio, it'd be a show, I hope it'll happen”

“Yeah…there won't be a moment one of us four won't smile”

You start to head out of the lockers, you see ben practicing with Cerundolo, he looks at you and his smile drops when he sees alcaraz putting an arm around your shoulder.

You notice that and smirk, blowing a little kiss to him

“What was that?” Carlos asks

“Nothing, I was just waving at ben”

“Waving, huh? Didn't look that much of a wave for me” he smiles, teasing you

“Carlos, stop. I was just waving at him”

“Whatever you say, man, no te creo” (I don't believe you) he says, still teasing. You came out to him years ago, and he never cared that you liked guys, more girls for him, no?

“Cmonnnn don't be like that now!”

“If I see you sneaking out of the hotel tonight I know why ahaha” he laughs, you were two seconds away from slapping him when ben run to you

“Hey y/n, carlos” he greets and hugs you, secretly squeezing your butt, then bumps carlos “ready to get beaten?” He continues

“Oh cmon, maybe in doubles it'd be a fight, but in singles you have no chance, ben” you say and carlos just laughs

“Then I better train for doubles more, have to get back to practice now, I'm ’bout to kick his ass” ben says, referring to the practice match he was having with Cerundolo.

You say goodbye and head out with carlos

“So…just waving, huh?” He says

“What do you mean?” You ask, confused

“He was holding your waist the whole time we were talking, no eres tan invisible, you know?” (You aren't that invisible)

“Shut up” you say, blushing, and he laughs

After some minutes you get to the hotel and before entering your rooms he looks at you one last time

“I hope you won't let him win if you play against him, we're still a team. And we have to win”

Before you could snap back he alredy closed the door of his room, you enter yours and throw yourself on the king-size bed.

After half an hour you get a call from ben

“Babe?” He says

“Yeah?”

“You got back at the hotel?”

“Yeah, with carlos, you saw us”

“Yeah…” he says, his voice lowering

“Why that tone?”

“What tone, babe? Just my normal voice”

“Don't tell me! You're jealoussss~”

“I'm not!”

“You areeee” you tease him even more

“And what if I am? Can you blame me? I have the perfect boyfriend, don't want you to get stolen from me” he admits

“I won't get stolen from you, love. I'm yours”

“Yeah… that's right…mine. Sorry about my jealously…but I miss cuddling you, sooo much!”

“You do? Awww, me too…but it'd be risky to one of us to go to the others hotel now…”

“Right…but I miss you so much, my enemy”

“Oh you want to cuddle the enemy now huh? You want to corrupt me” you play along

“Mhhhh is it working?”

“No.” you say, smiling, then continue “but I miss you too, so I guess I'll be careful enough not to get caught in your hotel…for tonight “

“Really?! Thanks babe, imma make this a special night, then~”

“Mhh I'm sure you will” you say

“See ya tonight, babe”

“see you later, love”

And the call ends.

That night, you sneaked out of the Europe team's hotel to go in the world team's one. You wore the blue hoodie and grey sweatpants, just saying you were going to give ben some rackets to the receptionist and she lets you go.

You knocked on Ben's room, and he opened right away, hugging you and kissing you softly. He closed the door being you and pinned you against it, not kissing you more roughly, with more passion, his tongue slipping through your lips and fight with yours for dominance.

After you did what you did (iykyk) you passed some hours cuddling, just enjoying each others company and whispering sweet things in each others ear.

At five am, you decided to get back to your hotel before the others woke up and catch you, you kiss ben one last time and leave, picking up your clothes, you didn't realize you picked the wrong hoodie. The red one.

At 8 am you started to get ready to practice at the arena with carlos, you were still sleepy, you barely slept in the time you came back to your hotel. You brushed your teeth, washed your face, put on practice gear and the hoodie, still not realizing it's the wrong color.

You leave the hotel, some people giving you confused stares, but you don't care, still recovering from last night activities.

Entering the arena, some other players where alredy there, having breakfast or doing some reflexes exercises in the gym. Carlos was eating some eggs with grigor, flavio and daniil, when you showed up they just stared at you, confused as hell and carlos with a smirk

“What?” You ask, obvious to the fact

“You changed teams?” Daniil asks

“What do you mean?”

“The hoodie, the world's one”

“Oh shit” when you realize you quickly take it off and put it in your bag. You avoid talking about it and sit at the table, carlos patting your shoulder and teasing you.

*team world's POV*

Taylor and Francis were eating while thanasi and Felix were doing some light cardio, when ben entered, wearing the blue hoodie.

“Dude, what's up with Europe's hoodie? You out of your mind?! Sponsoring the enemy!” Francis says, half joking half serious

“What are you- oh fuck! I'm an idiot” he takes off the hoodie

“Whose hoodie is that?” Taylor asks

“None of your business, assholes”

“Cmon don't be hard ben! Tell us!”

Before ben could talk the door opens, you poking your head in, the red hoodie in your hands

“Hey ben…i think we swapped them”

Taylor whistles and Francis laughs, I ended to give him his hoodie and he smiles, not caring about getting outed anymore, you two did it unconsciously.

He pulled you closer and kissed you right in front of them, a quick but passionate kiss, you were shocked, and when he stop you hide your face in his neck, embarrassed.

“What is it, babe? Embarrassed? I think that everyone realized were dating now…thanks for the hoodie, anyway” he says

You swap them and the images of you in red and him in blue alredy spreading. But the camera catching you to kiss makes the video go viral. So viral.

"didn't know you two were dating, lovebirds" Taylor says

"Yeah you could have told us ,ben" Francis adds

"Sorry guys...but you know how people can be...I guess we don't have to worry about that now tho, don't we, babe?" Ben says

"I guess we don't anymore" you say

*two hour later, Europe's locker room*

You were changing after finishing practice with carlos, he was on his phone, he teased you about the hoodie all morning.

You see him looking at IG, his eyes widening

"Y/n...what's going on with ben, huh? Your kiss is going viral" he says

"Look, in the worlds room"

"What?!"

You see the video, the camera in the room catching your quick kiss

It alredy had fifty thousands likes in only three hours, you're scared to see the comments, some are bad, most are shocked or happy.

You smile, you don't have to hide anymore. A

You now have to fight homophobia, you have less fans, but you're happy you can show your perfect boyfriend to the world, you can hug, kiss and cuddle in public without being scared to get caught.

You're happy and you know it.

A/N: I know I have to write the part two of the long fic but this idea was just too cute not to write. I made it a male reader because the laver cup is played by men but I could make a fem reader maybe in the tie break tens or smtg. Hope you like this! (Also I made a not on c.ai about this)

hands down the best part of this picture is blurry Papa Alcaraz in the background. it’s giving ‘my dad said he could take us to the basketball game so ask your parents if you can come’