By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 29, 2025
Photograph credit score: Sarah Stier/Getty
NEW YORK—Burying his head in his towel, a banged-up Ben Shelton wiped away tears.
The sixth-seeded Shelton arrived in New York with excessive hopes and departed in emotional anguish right now.
A strained left shoulder pressured Shelton to retire from his US Open third-round match in opposition to French veteran Adrian Mannarino after dropping the fourth set on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
It’s a merciless finish for an American contender at his favourite event.
The left-handed Mannarino, who gave world No. 1 Jannik Sinner a tricky take a look at in Cincinnati this month, strikes on to the fourth spherical with a 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, retired victory to advance to his first US Open fourth spherical.
In his fifteenth Flushing Meadows look, the 37-year-old Mannarino is the second-oldest man to achieve a maiden US Open fourth spherical after Ivo Karlovic who was 37 years outdated six months when he reached the spherical of 16 again in 2016.
Strolling again onto court docket after his toilet break, Mannarino was greeted by Shelton, who shook his hand and closed the curtain on his US Open.
“I’m making an attempt, I’m 37 years outdated and it’s my first time profitable a match from the bathroom in order that’s how new issues come up,” Mannarino mentioned. “I’m nonetheless having fun with my time on court docket and I hope I can lengthen it for a short while.”
It was a brutal day for American seeds.
An hour after Shelton tapped out with the shoulder harm, German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff surprised Seventeenth-seeded American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) to achieve his first US Open fourth spherical.
“It’s clearly a terrific run,” Struff mentioned. “In qualies I used to be 2-6, 2-4 and almost out. Generally, it’s just a few little factors and it’s getting into your route. I knew if Frances managed to win the third set, it’s gonna be very robust. In the present day, I’m very glad.”
Struff devoted his upset to his father, who celebrates his birthday right now. Struff will face both seventh-seeded Novak Djokovic or British lefty Cameron Norrie for a quarterfinal spot.
In the meantime, Mannarino will face Jiri Lehecka for a quarterfinal spot. The Twentieth-seeded Lehecka beat Raphael Collingnon, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Grandstand.
It’s a devastating finish for Toronto champion Shelton, who together with Taylor Fritz gave the USA two High 8 seeds on the US Open for the primary time since 2007 when No. 5 Andy Roddick and No. 6 James Blake led the American cost.
The 2023 US Open semifinalist Shelton started struggling the shoulder ache earlier on this match. Shelton battled valiantly combating off 5 set factors on the finish of the fourth set as Louis Armstrong Stadium followers roared in approval.
Shortening factors by attacking web relentlessly, Shelton got here up with a number of set level saves.
Shelton saved the fifth set level with a slap shot forehand winner, however was bending over and wincing clutching his shoulder.
On the sixth set level, Shelton tried approaching behind a bluff chip, however Mannarino fired a backhand go that ricocheted off the American’s blue Yonex racquet to grab the fourth set and power a decider after a bit greater than three hours of play.
The 37-year-old Mannarino left the court docket for a loo break, whereas a pained Shelton once more consulted the coach. Father and coach Bryan Shelton, watching his son wrestle in ache from the teaching field, made a “no extra” gesture together with his arms.
Ben Shelton packed up his racquets and when Mannarino returned he arose and shook his hand.
Pulling the US Open towel over his head, a disconsolate Shelton trudged off the court docket trying like a person whose dream was shattered proper earlier than his eyes.
“When he began to have ache, he was main the match,” Mannarino mentioned. “Actually, he most likely would have gained the match; unlucky for him, fortunate for me.
“I don’t actually know what to say proper now. I want him one of the best in fact. I used to be having good enjoyable on the court docket. There was actually lengthy rallies. I used to be dropping a few of them, profitable a few of them, however I believe that was a cool match to play.”
It was Mannarino’s third win in 4 conferences vs. Shelton. Mannarino edged Shelton, 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 in an epic 2024 Australian Open third-round triumph.
The French veteran, whose beard has turned virtually utterly gray, knew he was going through a unique model of the 22-year-old Shelton right now. Shelton had gained 11 of his final 12 matches, together with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Mannarino in Canada en path to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 championship in Toronto.
“Ben is enjoying rather well. He kicked my ass to start with of the summer season,” Mannarino mentioned. “It was a terrific match even when I used to be dropping it was a fairly cool match.”
