Ben Shelton’s 2025 US Open reached an unexpectedly early stage. The 22-year-old American retired after the fourth set of a third round match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino due to an obvious shoulder injury.
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The match called the match early towards the fifth set, which appeared to have begun to feel pain at the start of the fourth set. Shelton was the No. 6 seed player heading into the tournament and loved to make it far away.
After winning the first set against Mannarino 6-3, Shelton dropped the second set as the French 37-year-old won 6-3. The Americans then won set 3, 6-4, diving into set points that made the crowd wild.
However, as the fourth set began, Shelton appeared to be experiencing pain in his shoulder. He worked hard to challenge Mannarino, but the Frenchman won 6-4 and came back to force the fifth set.
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But that fifth set never came. Shelton appears to be talking to his father (and also his coach) and tells him that he isn’t worth continuing to overcome the pain. Shelton was emotional as he greeted Mannarino and walked out of his court and then put the racket back in his bag.
After the match, Mannarino spoke kindly about Shelton, saying that she was “fun” before Shelton retired.
“When he started to hurt, he was leading the game. He probably won. It’s a shame for him and I’m very fortunate for me. I don’t really know what to say now.
Unseeded Mannarino advances to the fourth round with a walkover. Mannarino should not have passed the fourth round in the Grand Slam.
He will face seed Jiri Lehekka of the 20th Czech Republic on the fourth round Sunday.
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Francis Tiafoe is upset with a straight set by Jan Leonard Struff
No. 17 seed Francistiáfoe lost in straight sets to German Jean Leonard Struff, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), and eliminated another American male player in the third round. Since 2019, early Tiafoe has left the US Open.
Francis Tiafoe was the second American male player to be eliminated in the third round of the US Open a year after he reached the semi-finals. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
(AP News)
String. 35, opening the US as qualifiers and entered the tournament, ranked 144th in the world. He dominated the Tier Four with his serves and upset his opponents with his plays in the net. Tiafoe fought back in the third set to force a tiebreak, but was faced too suddenly with climbing uphill, especially when he had difficulty breaking Struff’s serve.
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“It’s going to be hard to swallow how I play today and how I’m out of the US.
Tiafoe, 27, reached the US semifinals last year, losing to Taylor Fritz in five sets. The unfortunate finish is the latest in his difficult year. He was eliminated in the second round of the Australian Open and lost in the quarterfinals of the French Open. At Wimbledon, Tierfoe was one of several early species to lose, falling to Cameron Norry in the second round.
If Tiafoe went on, he might have had a rematch with Norrie. However, the British star faces Novak Djokovic in the third round. Instead, it’s Streff who moves to the bracket in the second week of the tournament.
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With Shelton and Tierfour losing, the only American men remaining in the US Open are No. 14 Taylor Fritz and No. 14 Tommy Paul, who will face Swiss Jerome Kim on Friday night. Paul will face No. 23 Alexander Babrik on Saturday after surpassing Nunoborugi in a four-hour, 25-minute match that lasted until 2am on Friday morning.
