Ben Shelton’s hopes of a deep run at the U.S. Open were forced to retire from a shoulder injury on Friday, and his third round was forced to retire, handing France’s Adrian Mannarino for the first time in his last 16 games.
The No.6 seed, who entered the New York semifinal two years ago, has been leading in two sets and has been in control before the disaster strikes. Later in the third set, Shelton landed heavily on his left arm while chasing a ball, and by the start of the fourth he was clearly compromised. “I did something on my shoulders. I don’t know what that was,” he shrunk his father and coach Brian in the early game.
Since then, the 22-year-old has tried to improvise, rushing the net to shorten points and masking the loss of serving speed. But Mannarino is a 37-year-old left-handed, known for his perseverance, who makes the most of his opponent’s troubles. He suppressed the issue with a honed fourth group, converting his sixth set into two sets.
When the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium was ready for a decision-maker, Sheldon called the coach again, sat up with his head, and after a brief exchange, Mannarino admitted to the game after returning to a bathroom break. The final score record was 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, RET, which was performed in court for three hours and seven minutes later. The American fights back tears as he exits, his shoulders wrapped around the ice, admitting that he walks out the crowd.
“It was very unfortunate for him and for me,” Mannerino said. “When he started to suffer, he was leading the game – and honestly, he might win the game.”
For the French, ranking 77th is a bittersweet breakthrough. In his 15th major painting appearance at Flushing Meadows, he finally arrived in week two and defeated his first top ten opponents in the Grand Slam. He will face the Czech Republic’s No. 20 seed Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals.
Sheldon’s exports are hopeful for the United States. In the past two years Make him a weapon attraction In New York. He arrived behind Toronto’s first Masters 1000 title and the Cincinnati quarterfinals, and his mature game allowed him to go through his opening two rounds without losing a single game.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
