The player who many believe was the United States' best hope at winning the Men's US Open title is officially out of the draw. The big-serving Ben Shelton retired before the fifth set of his third-round match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, falling victim to a shoulder injury that had caused him severe pain throughout the fourth set.
Shelton's father and coach, Bryan Shelton, urged his son to call it a day out of fear that the issue could worsen. The world No. 6 was obviously devastated, as he pushed through tears, graciously thanked the crowd for their support and headed into the locker room. A popular pick to advance into the quarterfinals for a would-be clash with the sensational Carlos Alcaraz, Shelton will now hope for a lucky diagnosis when he undergoes a proper medical evaluation.
Ben Shelton had to retire from his match against Adrian Mannarino at the U.S. Open due to a shoulder injury 🤕
Hope he's okay 🙏
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 29, 2025
The 22-year-old should have more opportunities to contend for the Flushing crown, but the fact that disaster struck on the tournament he relishes most is going to stick in his mind for a while. Shelton and Mannarino split the first two sets, each winning by a score of 6-3, and the former responded with a 6-4 triumph in the third. Problems arose shortly after, though.
The young American winced frequently during the fourth set and even told his dad/coach that it was the worst pain he ever experienced. The elder Shelton advised his son to come into the net more often in order to keep the points shorter. Although the fan favorite hung around, he could not overcome a service break and lost 6-4 to the wily veteran.
The future looks pretty bright for Ben Shelton even after US Open crusher
Many are speculating the shoulder injury first occurred near the end of the third set, when the southpaw fell down on the court during a tense point. Hopefully, he will have more clarity to provide in the near future. The “how” does not matter right now, though. Ben Shelton is just gutted to see his US Open quest end because of something outside of his control. And his legions of fans surely feel the same way.
Shelton won Canada's National Bank Open on Aug. 7 and reached the quarterfinals of a packed field in the Cincinnati Open. While he was unable to build on his summer surge, the former Florida Gators star has reason to be confident moving forward. Hopefully, a speedy recovery awaits.
