Title runs propel Caty McNally, Ben Shelton to new career-high rankings

A pair of young Americans are at a new career-high in the rankings this week following title victories at lower-level tournaments.

The 20-year-old Caty McNally, who won her first WTA 125 at the Dow Classic in Midland, Mich., has a double-digit ranking for the first time in her career and will get entry into the Australian Open next season.

"Tennis players, when we turn pro, we put this big stamp on top 100," McNally was quoted as saying by local press, noting she will "not really need that wild card now to go to Australia, it just shows all the hard work that I’ve put into this year" in singles.

She is ranked No. 19 in doubles and has reached the past two US Open women’s doubles finals, but dropped down as low as No. 229 in singles this season. But she's turned that around and now "five or six months have been pretty good for me, and, hopefully, I can just keep this momentum going and just take it week by week and have fun with where I’m going."

On Monday, McNally found out she was headed to Glasgow to represent the U.S. at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals when world No. 3 Jessica Pegula withdrew. McNally joins Danielle Collins, Madison Keys and two familiar faces, her US Open runner-up partners Coco Gauff (2021) and Taylor Townsend (2022).

Ben Shelton, also 20, is now in position for a reciprocal wild card into the Australian Open following his victory at the $50,000 ATP Challenger Event in Charlottesville, Va., which moves him to No. 128 in the rankings. It's the first challenger title for the NCAA championship winner who decided to go pro following his run to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters.

"It's pretty nice. I'm glad I could keep my cool,'' he told the crowd, though saying he had been nervous while serving for the victory. "My hands were shaking a bit but I'm glad I got through. It definitely feels like a big breakthrough."

Townsend is in position to receive the AO wild card vacated by McNally.