Ben Shelton Retires From US Open Match Due to Shoulder Injury

New York, USA — Ben Shelton, the No. 6 seed, retired during his third-round match at the US Open on Friday due to a left shoulder injury. The American tennis player was facing Adrian Mannarino when he called it quits after losing the fourth set, leaving the match at two sets to one.

The injury appeared to occur when Shelton landed on his left arm while attempting to track down a ball in the corner for a point that ultimately led to him winning the third set. Shortly after, he began to feel pain and communicated with his coach, saying, “I did something to my shoulder. I don’t know what it is.”

Despite receiving treatment from a trainer, which included applying cream to his shoulder, Shelton was visibly struggling. He tried to shorten the points by moving to the net, but after Mannarino took the fourth set, he was visited again by the trainer and opted to retire from the match.

As he left the court, Shelton could be seen with a towel over his head and tears in his eyes, marking an emotional moment. Mannarino, a 37-year-old Frenchman, expressed his sympathy for Shelton, stating, “When he started to have pain, he was leading in the match. Honestly, he would have probably won that match.” This victory marked Mannarino’s first win against a top-10 player in 23 attempts at Grand Slam tournaments.

Leading into the match, Shelton had an impressive summer record of 14-2 on hard courts and had recently won a title in Toronto, where he defeated Mannarino in the early rounds. His powerful left-handed serve had been one of his significant weapons, with a high of 140 mph during the tournament.

Following the retirement, Shelton reflected on the match, feeling grateful for his recent performances despite the setback. He stated, “I was playing really well, I was in form, a lot of confidence,” emphasizing his positive outlook moving forward.

The U.S. Open, which began on August 24, will continue until September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.