Ben Shelton’s US Open campaign has been cruelly cut short, forced to retire from his match against Adrian Mannarino with the scores at two sets apiece.
Having raced into a two-sets-to-one lead, it really felt like the young American was on track to cruise into the second week in New York yet again.
However, in that fourth set, disaster struck and his safe passage into the third round unravelled before his very eyes.
The Frenchman was decisive in putting away the hampered Ben Shelton, who cut a tearful figure before confirming his retirement and walking off court with a towel covering his head.
Adrian Mannarino reacts as Ben Shelton retires from the US Open with injury
Speaking on court after the match, Mannarino was naturally rather sympathetic to Shelton.
In fact, he even admitted that he would have lost the match had the injury not occurred, as he told fans: “Of course, when he started to have pain, he was leading in the match. He would honestly have probably won that match, so it’s unfortunate for him and very lucky for me.
“I don’t really know what to say right now. I am happy to get through and I wish him the best, of course.”
Rating his own performance, he continued: “I was having good fun on the court. There were really long rallies, I was losing some of them and winning some of them but I think it was a pretty cool match to play and Ben is playing well. He kicked my a—- in the beginning of the summer and he’s such a great player.
“I was enjoying my time on court, even if I was losing, it was a pretty cool match.
“Thank you guys for being nice to me, cheering for Ben, of course, but still having good fun.”
Mannarino concluded by reacting to his evergreen nature, continuing to thrive on tour at 37 years old: “I am just trying. I am 37 years old, and it’s the first time I’m winning the match on the toilet! There is always new things coming up and I am still enjoying my time on court and hope I am going to extend it for a little while.”
It’s particularly sad given Sam Querrey predicted who would finish the year ranked higher out of Shelton and Taylor Fritz before this injury; a competition that will now surely be cut short.
A crushing blow for Ben Shelton at the US Open
For Americans, and most other players on tour, the US Open is the pinnacle of the tennis calendar.
Many go an entire season waiting for their return to New York, at an event where it truly feels like anything can happen.
That is what will make Shelton’s retirement so much tougher to take.
He was seen by many as a genuine contender to challenge for this title, having just won the biggest tournament of his career in Toronto in the lead-up to the US Open.
Alas, that opportunity was cruelly taken from him in front of a home crowd left stunned and saddened by what had just unfolded before them.
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