US Open: Shelton retires from match against Mannarino due to severe shoulder pain

Ben Shelton's US Open campaign concluded on Friday in the third round, as he retired from his match against Mannarino because of severe pain in his left shoulder with the score tied at 2-2 in sets.

After securing a vital point to clinch the third set (during which he had fallen), Shelton felt a sudden sharp pain in his left shoulder at the beginning of the first game of the fourth set. After saving a break point, the 22-year-old American signaled to his father and coach, Brian Shelton, that he was in discomfort.

Although he managed to hold his serve, he was forced to call for a medical timeout in the following game. He then told his team that it was "the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life." Despite being ranked sixth in the PIF ATP rankings and choosing to continue, the injury clearly affected him — he attempted to approach the net on nearly every point, contrasting sharply with the intense baseline rallies that had characterized the previous three sets.

Shelton retired at the end of the fourth set with the scoreline at 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6.

Mannarino said during the post-match on-court interview:

“When he started feeling the pain, he was actually leading in the match. Honestly, he probably would have won. It’s unfortunate for him and lucky for me. I really don’t know what to say right now. I’m happy to advance, but of course, I wish him all the best.”

This is not the ending we wanted to see…

This marks Mannarino's first time reaching the fourth round at the US Open, where he will face 20th seed Jiri Lehecka in their first ATP meeting. Lehecka previously defeated Rafael Collignon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Before reaching the third round at Wimbledon in June this year, Mannarino had only two tour-level wins in 2025, and his world ranking dropped as low as 145 in March. The 37-year-old player then advanced to the fourth round at the Cincinnati Open, where he battled Yannick Sinner over two sets. His current PIF ATP live ranking has climbed to 70.

“I’m just trying my best... I’m 37, and this is the first time I’ve won a match from the ‘bathroom’,” Mannarino joked. “There’s always something new happening, and I’m just enjoying my time on the court. Hopefully, I can extend that time even further.”

This is Shelton’s first career retirement. The two had already battled through four sets. The veteran Frenchman forced the sixth seed out of his usual aggressive style into exciting baseline exchanges. After 3 hours and 7 minutes of play, Shelton took his father Brian’s advice and ended the match.

Mannarino said:

“I had a lot of fun on the court, with many very long rallies — I won some and lost some, but I think it was a very high-quality match. Ben (Shelton) played very well; he beat me earlier this summer, but this match was really great. I enjoyed it a lot, even while trailing; it was quite an entertaining contest.”

It’s truly unfortunate for Shelton. As a spectator, we witnessed his powerful and precise serves — remember, he’s a lefty — but behind that was the pain in his left shoulder. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

For Mannarino, it’s more than just luck — we see the determination of this 37-year-old veteran. Along with Monfils, Djokovic, and Agut, they continue to bring surprises to the tennis world.

After Shelton’s retirement, 20th seed Lehecka in the 4/4 section of the draw is favored to reach the quarterfinals, making Alcaraz’s path smoother.

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