Alex de Minaur should be quietly confident of another ATP title in Acapulco thanks to the withdrawal of two rivals.
De Minaur just secured the Rotterdam title, and will return to the court at another ATP 500 event in Acapulco later this month.
It gets underway in Mexico on February 23rd, and is joined in the schedule by tournaments in Dubai and Chile.
De Minaur’s chances of Acapulco success were high already, but the Australian has now just been handed a double boost that should significantly increase his chances.
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Alex de Minaur boosted by Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Musetti withdrawals
Lorenzo Musetti has withdrawn from Acapulco, continuing to struggle with the leg injury that ended his Australian Open hopes early.
Musetti retired hurt against Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam, having won the first two sets.
His ATP rival Ben Shelton has withdrawn from Acapulco too, shortly after the American clinched the title at the Dallas Open.
Musetti and Shelton would have very likely represented two of De Minaur’s biggest threats in Mexico, but now he doesn’t have to worry about their presence in the draw whatsoever.
Among others, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Frances Tiafoe remain committed to Acapulco, which is played on hard outdoor courts.
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Ben Shelton makes smart move with Acapulco withdrawal
While De Minaur has received a boost in the short-term, Shelton has given himself a boost in the long-term.
The American has quite simply made a very smart decision to withdraw from Acapulco, because it should increase his chances of Indian Wells success.
He only just endured a very lengthy run in Texas, where Shelton clinched the Dallas title with a final victory over Taylor Fritz.
Indian Wells arrives just after Acapulco in the schedule, and is a tournament at which Shelton will be desperate to impress.
He’ll be playing on home soil in front of his own fans, where he should be well rested and recovered by skipping the upcoming tournament in Mexico.
The American will have similar hopes for the Miami Open, which immediately follows its ATP Masters 1000 counterpart in the calendar.
If the women’s schedule is anything to go by after several WTA 1000 Dubai and Qatar withdrawals, Shelton’s decision to skip Acapulco looks even wiser.
| Tournament | Level | Date |
| Dubai | ATP 500 | 23-28 February |
| Acapulco | ATP 500 | 23-28 February |
| Santiago | ATP 250 | 23 February – 1 March |
| Indian Wells | ATP 1000 | 4-15 March |
| Miami | ATP 1000 | 18-29 March |
Of course, Indian Wells and the Miami Open arrive later in the calendar, but it has still been a busy season for men’s tennis so far, and it’s only February.
Thanks to his impressive runs, Shelton has already played 12 matches across three tournaments, boasting a fantastic 10-2 win-loss record to go with one title.
The 23-year-old fell in the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic to start his season, before an Australian Open exit to Jannik Sinner at the same stage.
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