US OPEN. Men´s singles
Ben Shelton’s US Open run came to an abrupt end on Friday when he was forced to retire in his third-round clash against Adrian Mannarino, with the match level at two sets apiece.
After winning a dramatic set point to secure the third set—during which he fell heavily to the ground—Shelton began to feel sharp pain in his left shoulder at the start of the fourth. After saving a break point, the 22-year-old American gestured to his father and coach, Bryan Shelton, signaling discomfort.
Although he managed to hold serve, Shelton was forced to request a medical timeout just three points into the next game. He then told his team from the bench that it was “the worst pain I’ve felt in my life.” The No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings and Toronto champion tried to push on, but he was clearly struggling, especially when attempting to move forward to the net, a stark contrast to his earlier baseline battles.
After three hours and seven minutes, at the conclusion of the fourth set, Shelton followed his father’s advice and ended the contest, retiring with the score at 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6. “When he started to feel the pain, he was leading the match,” Mannarino admitted in his on-court interview. “Honestly, he probably would have won that match. It’s a shame for him and a bit of luck for me. I don’t know what to say right now. I’m happy to move through, but I wish him all the best.”
Reaching the US Open fourth round for the first time in his career, Mannarino will now face 20th seed Jiri Lehecka in the Lexus ATP Head2Head, after the Czech defeated Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Shelton’s withdrawal echoed other memorable retirements in Grand Slam history. One of the most famous came at Wimbledon 2009, when Tommy Haas advanced to the semifinals after Novak Djokovic was forced to stop mid-match due to heat-related illness. Such moments remind fans of the physical and mental toll the sport demands, where even the best athletes can see their dreams halted by injury or exhaustion.