If Episodes 1 and 2 of “Hang Up: The Ben Shelton Story” brought the rise and the swagger, then Episode 3 just dropped like a bombshell on tennis Twitter. Titled “New Kids, Old Grudges”, the third chapter of Ben Shelton’s streaming takeover is equal parts gym thirst-trap, petty rivalry recap, and a courtside mic-drop moment that fans can’t stop rewinding.
The episode opens with a slo-mo montage of Ben’s shirtless footwork drills under Florida sunshine. Sweat, speed, abs—check, check, and check. His trainer says, “Ben doesn’t stop until the court is soaked or the gym mirror fogs.” We believe it.
But the real tea starts simmering when the doc pivots to Ben’s tension with fellow Next Gen star Holger Rune. The producers waste zero time cutting together clips of cool handshakes, passive-aggressive quotes, and that infamous moment when Rune walked past Shelton post-match with the kind of vibe usually reserved for your ex at a party.
Then BOOM—we’re at the ATP 1000 in Rome, where both are drawn in the same quarter. The cameras catch the pre-match warm-up: Ben bouncing around with AirPods in, Rune staring him down like he’s ready to play Mortal Kombat. The tension? Thick enough to cut with a Yonex.
The match itself is chaos. Long rallies. Finger points. A disputed line call that has Ben raising his eyebrows so hard they nearly break orbit. He wins in three wild sets, celebrates with the most disrespectful “phone hang up” yet, and walks to the net…
The handshake? Cold. Clipped. Rune barely makes eye contact. Ben just smirks and walks away, mic’d up enough to whisper, “Nice try, bro.”
The internet implodes.
“This episode is the best tennis content since Serena dragged Maria in 2013,” one fan tweeted. Another said, “Ben Shelton just served drama, muscles, AND victory. Netflix deserves awards.”
Later, in a post-match interview, Ben leans back, grins, and says, “It’s all just competition. I don’t take it personally. Unless they do.”
SAVAGE.
The episode ends with Ben FaceTiming Coco Gauff, joking about “tennis Twitter having a meltdown,” and promising she’s next in the doc for some doubles chaos. (Yes please!)
Bottom line? Episode 3 has everything—rivalry spice, elite pettiness, and just enough sweat to fog your screen.
Ben Shelton’s not just calling.
He’s coming for the crown.