Americans hope for the end of 22 years of waiting for the male champion Grand Slam significantly hit on Friday when Ben Shelton’s sixth seed left his open clash of the third round of the US Open against France Adrian Mannarino because of his shoulder injury. Twenty -year -old, which was in favor of one of the rising stars capable of breaking American drought on Flushing Meadows, appeared in visible pain at the beginning of the fourth set at the Louis Armstrong stadium.
After gripping, Shelton grabbed his left shoulder and jerked as he was preparing to receive Mannarino in the second set of the set. In the middle of the journey he took a medical time limit and confided in his father and coach Bryan Shelton: “I just did something on my shoulder. I don’t know what it is. I have a lot of pain.” Later he described the discomfort as the “worst pain” of his life. Despite injuries, Shelton remained competitive and business points with left -wing Mannarin, which produced some moments of brilliance.
At the time of retirement Shelton won the opening set, but in a hard combat meeting he watched 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Mannarino was thinking about the sudden end: “He would probably win. It’s unhappy for him and very lucky for me. I really don’t know what to say now. I suppose I’m glad I got. I wish him the best.
The disappointment for American fans continued less than an hour later when the 17th seed Frances Tiafoe accumulated in direct sets and lost 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7) to Jan-Lennard Struff on the grandstand. Tiafoe, who last did not reach the fourth round in 2019, tried to close points, allowing Struff to regain calm after a series of double errors. “I tried to stay calm and focus again and managed to get some energy back, so I was very happy about it,” Struff said.
When Shelton and Tiafoe removed, all eyes are now turning to Taylor Fritz, the fourth seed and last year’s finalist, who remains the highest hope of America at this year’s US Open. Fritz is planned to face Jerome Kym later on Friday and carrying the weight of expectations for the domestic nation.
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Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
August 30, 2025
