Tokyo was ready for fireworks. The Japan Open, with its buzzing crowds and electric atmosphere, was set to welcome one of the ATP Tour’s most exciting young talents, Ben Shelton. The 22-year-old American, armed with a thunderous lefty serve and boundless energy, was expected to light up the courts in what has been a breakthrough season for him. But instead of the booming sound of aces, fans were met with silence. Shelton has now announced his withdrawal. His body once again betrayed the momentum of his rising career. Social media was soon flooded with messages of encouragement and prayers.
If we take a look at his season so far, Ben Shelton has played 55 matches and won 37 of them. His incredible performances, which also include his title triumph at the Canadian Open, have now helped him move one step closer to securing a spot inside the Top 5. But despite the incredible runs in this season, the world number six’s US Open campaign got derailed, following a shoulder injury during his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino. A disappointed Shelton was forced to retire in that match.
After the match, Shelton said, “Usually I’ll play through anything and just find a way. And whether it’s sickness or injury, if I can stay out there, I can stay out there. I’ve never felt anything like this before, so that was kind of tough; I guess, the uncertainty.” He claimed, “I never retired before. I’m not a guy who would retire if I could continue.” During the match, there were several times when we saw him needing medical attention. He was looking in some real pain. It has been almost 22 days since that unfortunate ending to his US Open campaign. His fans expected him to make a strong return at the Asian swing. But as things stand, he has not only pulled out his name from the Laver Cup but also from the Japan Open.
Shelton had won this title in 2023 and reached the QF of the event in 2024. This means he will now lose 100 ATP points due to this withdrawal. Perhaps he needs some more time to recover fully, and the youngster can’t afford to take any significant risks with his body at such an early stage in his career. His return date isn’t confirmed yet, but he needs to get back in action as soon as possible. He is currently ranked 5th in the ATP Race to Turin, hoping to debut at the ATP Finals in November. Time will tell if he can make it to the year-ending event or not, but fans have come out in numbers to wish him a quick recovery.
A fan tweeted, “Sad to see, hopefully he can get back out there soon!”
One of them wrote, “This isn’t all too surprising, but it is a shame. Hopefully, he gets recovered and comes back at his best.”
Another one claimed, “It’s a smart decision to not rush back from an injury. The tennis world will be waiting to see him back on the court.
That’s tough to hear, especially since he’s been playing so well. Hopefully, he takes all the time he needs to recover.”
A few of them expressed their concerns, saying, “So painful.”
Some of them tweeted, “😭 we miss you Big Ben 🇺🇸.”