Both players were knocked out in the third round of the recent US Open and have withdrawn from the two Davis Cup ties against the Czech Republic — one at home and one away — due to injury. They will also miss the Laver Cup, scheduled for September 19–21 in San Francisco.

Shelton, ranked No. 6 in the world, had been playing at a high level in New York before his hopes of a first Grand Slam title ended when he was forced to retire against Adrian Mannarino. The match was tied at two sets apiece when a shoulder injury prevented him from continuing.

Paul, the world No. 15, was eliminated in five sets by Alexander Bublik in the same round. He appeared to struggle with an abdominal injury during the match, an issue that ultimately ruled him out of Davis Cup action.

Who will replace Shelton and Paul?

With the two big absences confirmed, Reilly Opelka joins the US Davis Cup roster alongside doubles specialists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, completing a squad that also includes world No. 4 Taylor Fritz and world No. 29 Frances Tiafoe.

For the Laver Cup, Shelton and Paul were originally slated to represent Team World under captain Andre Agassi against Team Europe. In their place, Opelka and rising star Alex Michelsen, ranked No. 32, will suit up for Agassi’s team in San Francisco. It will be Michelsen’s first Laver Cup appearance, while Opelka makes his second after debuting in Boston in 2021.

Early in the fourth set, with Shelton leading 2-1 in sets, he signaled to his coach and father, Bryan Shelton: “I did something to my shoulder. I don’t know what it is, I’m in a lot of pain,” indicating he had been struggling with discomfort.

Shelton continued to play, but as the fourth set progressed, he told his box he was experiencing the “worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” ultimately leading to his retirement. This marked Mannarino’s first victory over a top-10 player in 23 career attempts.

The injury reportedly occurred when Shelton landed on his left arm after chasing a ball in the corner to clinch the third set. After a second medical timeout and further evaluation, the decision was made to stop the match.

With Shelton out, all eyes in the U.S. will turn to Taylor Fritz as the country’s best hope to see an American win the US Open for the first time since Andy Roddick in 2003. Frances Tiafoe, the last other American still in the draw, was eliminated in straight sets by Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

Mannarino reflects on the match

At 37, Mannarino advanced to the US Open round of 16 for the first time, where he will face World No. 20 Jiri Lehecka, who defeated Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 earlier. Speaking on court after the match, Mannarino acknowledged Shelton’s potential had it not been for the injury.

“When he started to have pain he was leading. Honestly, he probably would have won that match,” he admitted. “It’s unfortunate for him and very lucky for me, but I don’t really know what to say. I’m happy to get through. I wish him the best, of course”.

Reflecting on the match itself, Mannarino added: “I was having good fun on the court, really long rallies, losing some and winning some. It was a pretty cool match to play. Ben is playing really well. He kicked my a– at the beginning of the summer and he is such an amazing player. It was a great match. Even if I was losing, it was pretty cool. Thanks to all you guys for being nice with me”.

After the match, the players had a tense encounter at the net during the customary post-match handshake. Ostapenko accused Townsend of being “very disrespectful” for not apologizing after a net-cord winner on a crucial point and for failing to follow standard warm-up procedures.

Shelton, Townsend’s mixed doubles partner at the tournament, spoke after his straight-sets win over Pablo Carreño Busta. He admitted he didn’t fully understand everything that had happened but said Ostapenko’s reaction in front of a New York crowd may not have been the best approach.

“Yeah, I didn’t completely hear or understand everything that happened,” Shelton told the press. “Yeah, I guess some shocking comments towards her. Not the smartest thing to say to an American in New York City, but she handled her business”.

Even though he wasn’t fully aware of the details, Shelton made it clear he was backing Townsend, with whom he recently reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals before falling to Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva.

“Always gonna back Taylor. I don’t know exactly what happened during the match, but just happy for her that she’s, you know, making a run and in the singles draw, we didn’t do what we wanted to do in the mix. So she’s definitely making up for it. And like she said, after the match, she spoke with a racket and yeah, just happy to see her winning,” he added.

Frances Tiafoe weighs in

World No. 17 Frances Tiafoe also commented on the heated exchange between Townsend and Ostapenko at the US Open, but unlike his compatriot Shelton, “Big Foe” did not take sides.

Tiafoe admitted he wasn’t fully aware of the details of the altercation but emphasized that there’s no need to escalate conflict after a loss. He did, however, congratulate Townsend on advancing to the next round.

“I mean, I can’t speak too much to it, but I don’t like… no need to go there. If you lost, you lost. Keep pushing,” Tiafoe told reporters after his second-round victory. “I got to see the video. I don’t know what really happened. But I mean, no reason to ever go there. Keep it about tennis. When I see the video, maybe next time around I’ll have something more to say, but shout-out to Taylor, good job”.

Ben Shelton kicked off the 2025 North American hard-court swing in style, claiming his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Toronto. The 22-year-old American powered past Karen Khachanov in the final. The victory places Shelton on the brink of a rare and historic achievement in Cincinnati.

In the modern ATP Masters 1000 era, only four men have pulled off the Canadian–Cincinnati double in the same season: Andre Agassi (1995), Patrick Rafter (1998), Andy Roddick (2003), and Rafael Nadal (2013).

What makes Shelton’s bid even more compelling is his age and style of play. None of the previous double winners were as young as the left-handed American when they achieved the feat.

As the fourth top seed, Shelton defeated Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz on route to the final in Toronto. He then defeated Khachanov in a three-set battle to earn his first Masters title.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Shelton said after the win. “It’s been a long week, not an easy path to the final. My best tennis came out when it mattered most. I was clutch, I persevered, I was resilient. All the qualities I like to see in myself.”

Shelton’s new ranking and US Open seeding

Shelton’s triumph in Toronto vaulted him to a career-high ATP ranking, earning an extra 450 points and moving him past Novak Djokovic, who currently sits at 4,130 points and has skipped both Toronto and Cincinnati. The ranking jump not only boosts Shelton’s seeding for the US Open but also puts him in a prime position to avoid early clashes with other top contenders.

Should he claim Cincinnati, Shelton would enter New York chasing one of tennis’ rarest achievements: becoming only the fourth man to sweep the Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, and US Open in the same season.

To make the final, Shelton navigated a brutal path—taking down two top-10 opponents in back-to-back matches. He first defeated World No. 10 Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, then powered past World No. 4 Fritz to punch his ticket to the title match.

At just 22 years and 291 days, Shelton became the youngest American to defeat top-10 opponents in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of a Masters 1000 event since Pete Sampras did it at the 1992 Cincinnati Open.

And that wasn’t the only slice of history. Shelton also became the youngest American to reach a Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick did it in Toronto in 2004, when he was 21. Now ranked No. 7 in the world, Shelton will face Karen Khachanov in the final as he looks to secure his first Masters 1000 title and the third title of his ATP career.

Shelton reflects on his game: ‘There are a lot of things to be proud about’

After his semifinal victory over Fritz, Ben Shelton expressed excitement over the strides he’s made in his game throughout the Canadian Open. The 22-year-old has dropped just two sets across five matches en route to the final.

“I’ve seen so many big improvements in my game this week, that’s what I’m most happy about, how I’m executing, how little I’m hesitating, how I’m returning,” Shelton said. “There are a lot of things to be proud about and beating two top 10 guys back to back is huge for me”.

The North American hardcourt swing is heating up in Toronto, where Ben Shelton is set to face Karen Khachanov in the final of the Masters 1000 tournament. The match offers Shelton a chance to win his first ATP 1000 title and could significantly boost his position in the ATP rankings.

Shelton secured his spot in the final after an impressive straight-sets victory over Taylor Fritz, winning 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals. With that win, he now holds 3,970 ranking points and sits at No. 7 in the world.

A win in the final would earn Shelton an additional 450 points, allowing him to surpass Novak Djokovic (4,130) in the rankings and reach a new career high. Djokovic, who opted to skip both Toronto and Cincinnati, could see his US Open seeding affected as a result.

Shelton isn’t the only player with a chance to overtake Djokovic. Alex de Minaur, who didn’t compete in Cincinnati last year and thus has no points to defend, also has an opportunity to climb the rankings during this stretch.

De Minaur has a chance to surpass Djokovic in Cincinnati

De Minaur fell in the quarterfinals in Toronto against Shelton, and left the tournament with 3,480 points. However, a good run in Cincinnati, in which Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are competing after missing the Canadian Open, could put him above Djokovic.

Either way, the Serbian is still expected to remain within the top eight seeds heading into the US Open. The other players that are close in the rankings are Holger Rune, with 3,340, but he has to defend a semifinal run; and Lorenzo Musetti, who lost in the second round last year.

At Grand Slam events, players seeded fifth through eighth are projected to meet a top-four seed in the quarterfinals, a draw scenario that Djokovic could now face in New York Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Taylor Fritz currently occupy the top four spots in the ATP rankings and are not in danger of being displaced before the US Open.

Djokovic, who won his 24th Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows in 2023, will look to make history again by becoming the oldest Grand Slam singles champion. He could also become the only player in the history of tennis, including pre-Open era, with 25 GS singles titles.

“His ball speed is really high. Never seen anything like it. You don’t see anything like it when you’re going through the draw,” Shelton said during the post-match press conference following the 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Sinner, according to the official website of the ATP Tour.

“When you play him, it’s almost like things are in two times speed. I’m usually pretty good at adjusting to that speed,” Ben continued. “It’s difficult when a guy’s hitting the ball that big, that consistently off both wings, and serving the way he is.”

The significance of the quarterfinal win is even greater considering Sinner entered the match with physical issues in his right arm, sustained during his previous match against Grigor Dimitrov. Those issues affected his ability to train normally in the days leading up to the match.

“I thought he would be fine,” Shelton said when asked about Sinner’s injury. “You can’t go into a match thinking that the guy’s not going to be at 100 per cent. His ball was coming off pretty big today, so I didn’t see any difference.”

The Sinner vs. Shelton rivalry

Wednesday marked the seventh professional meeting between Sinner and Shelton since 2023. The Italian star has built a clear edge in their head-to-head, winning six of those matches and losing only once.

Their first clash came at the 2023 Shanghai Open, where Shelton earned the victory. Since then, Jannik has dominated the matchup, with key wins in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon 2024, the semifinals of the Australian Open 2025, and now the quarterfinals on the English grass.

Shelton stays hungry for success

At just 22 years old, Ben Shelton has experienced a rapid rise in his professional career. He is ranked inside the top ten of the ATP Rankings and has already captured two titles. Still, he isn’t content. “I know that I’m not where I want to be. That’s kind of what I’m focusing on,” he said.

“I could sit there and be like, ‘Wow, 22 years old and I’ve been able to do these things and achieve these things’. But my mind is, I don’t know, critical. I’m a critical thinker. I’m trying to solve problems,” Ben added. “Obviously being closer and being in the later stages makes you even more hungry and makes you feel like you can do it and you can break through.”

[Watch Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton live for FREE in the USA on Fubo]

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner enters this matchup fresh off a dramatic turnaround against Grigor Dimitrov, where he dropped the first two sets and looked out of sorts in the third before advancing due to his opponent’s retirement.

Now, the Italian star aims to capitalize on this unexpected win, though he faces a tough test against Ben Shelton. The American is embracing the chance to take on a top-ranked player, believing he has what it takes to deliver a major upset.

When will the Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton match be played?

Jannik Sinner takes on Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Wimbledon this Wednesday, July 9th. The action will start at 9:10 AM (ET)*.

Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton: Time by State in the USA

ET: 9:10 AM*
CT: 8:10 AM
MT: 7:10 AM
PT: 6:10 AM

* Estimated time

How to watch Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton in the USA

Don’t miss this electrifying 2025 Wimbledon clash between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton live on Fubo (free trial). Other options are ESPN, Tennis Channel.

Shelton became the youngest American player to reach at least the fourth round at three Grand Slams in a single year since 2004. He did it at just 22 years and 9 months old, matching a feat last accomplished by Roddick when he was also 22.

Shelton’s Wimbledon run began with a win over Alex Bolt, followed by victories against Rinky Hijikata and Fucsovics. With those results, he’s now reached the Round of 16 at a major tournament for the third consecutive time—after his semifinal appearance at the Australian Open and a fourth-round exit at Roland Garros.

He also matched his previous best result at Wimbledon, which came last year when he lost in the fourth round to Jannik Sinner. At other Grand Slam events, however, Shelton has gone deeper: he was a semifinalist at the 2023 US Open and, as mentioned, also at the 2025 Australian Open.

Shelton reflects on his third-round victory

After wrapping up the match against Marton Fucsovics, Ben Shelton held a press conference and expressed satisfaction with his performance. “I had a lot of fun today. It is always special playing here at Wimbledon,” he said, according to the official website of the ATP Tour. “This is my third time playing on Court 1. It is a special atmosphere. I am trying to make my way to Centre Court, maybe I will get there one day.”

The World No. 10 also opened up about the importance of the support around him. “It is not just me, I have a great team. My parents are here. My girlfriend is here. Also, my sister is here and she’s been here for every match that I have played so far,” Shelton revealed.

What’s next for Shelton?

Now in the fourth round, Ben Shelton will look to achieve his best-ever result at Wimbledon. To do so, he’ll need to defeat Lorenzo Sonego in the Round of 16, a match scheduled for Monday. The winner will face either Jannik Sinner or Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals.

“Normally, a Sinner-Alcaraz final [would be expected], but we’re talking about a particular Slam, there are always some surprises,” he told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport (via Tennis365). “If you find a [Ben] Shelton or another great hitter on the day, important heads can fall. Grass is a treacherous surface, where the match can quickly get out of hand.”

Shelton, 22, has become one of the most dangerous players on tour with only three years as a professional. The American entered the Top 10 for the first time on June 16, and he is already a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist. He reached his first semis at the 2023 US Open, while doing the same this year in Australia.

At the Roland Garros, he was defeated in the fourth round by eventual champion Alcaraz in a four-setter, winning the third set. Shelton could meet one of Sinner or Alcaraz from the last 16 onwards, depending on the draw.

Ahead of Wimbledon, Shelton defeated Jari Lehecka and Pierre-Hugues Herbert on route to a semifinal showdown in Stuttgart, where he ultimately lost to Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile, he was eliminated in the first round of Queen’s Club. While he can be a threat, his performance on grass isn’t precisely impressive, with an 8-9 win-loss record.

Toni Nadal on Jannik Sinner’s form for Wimbledon

After Alcaraz clinched his fifth Grand Slam title in Paris, coming back from sets down to Sinner, the Spaniard and the Italian consolidated their rivalry and their place as the two most-dominant players on tour.

As they can meet once again in a second Grand Slam final in Wimbledon, Toni Nadal also give his opinion on Sinner’s form after losing early in Halle. “Maybe Sinner still lacks a bit of consistency after the break, but let’s not forget that he has reached two finals, a Masters 1000 and a Slam since he came back,” he said.

“I don’t think this defeat on grass will undermine his path at Wimbledon or the rest of the season. Sinner will start again from here,” Nadal added about the Italian chances to win his fourth major title.

This win marked Zverev’s first appearance in a grass-court final in eight years. The last time he accomplished that was at the ATP 500 event in Halle in 2017, where he lost the championship match to Roger Federer. The year before, the German star also reached the final there but was defeated by Florian Mayer.

Those two finals in Halle remain the only times Zverev had reached the title match at a tournament on this surface. In fact, grass has historically been his most challenging surface in professional tennis—Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam where Alexander has yet to reach the final.

“I’m super happy to be in the final, it’s my first grass-court final since 2017,” Zverev said after his win over Shelton, according to the official ATP Tour website. “It’s been eight years. I actually really like playing on the surface. I’m happy to be in the final in Germany again, I’m looking forward to it.”

Who will Zverev face in the Stuttgart final?

Alexander Zverev will face Taylor Fritz in the title match, after the latter defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 on Friday. “The clay-court season wasn’t the best for me, so I came here more motivated to start the grass season off well. I’m super happy that I’ve been able to start it off with a final,” the American revealed after the match.

“I’m locked in and ready to go. Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass and start feeling good, all the other things start clicking for me,” added Fritz, who will be aiming for his first title of 2025 against Zverev.

Who is the favorite between Zverev and Fritz?

While Alexander Zverev is the tournament’s top seed, current World No. 3, and the home favorite in Germany, there are strong reasons to believe Taylor Fritz could be the more comfortable player heading into the final. The American holds two key advantages over Zverev: he leads their head-to-head series and boasts better results on grass.

Fritz and Zverev have faced each other 12 times on the ATP Tour, with the American holding a 7-5 edge. In fact, Taylor has won their last four meetings, including a grass-court battle at Wimbledon last year.

At the same time, Fritz appears more at ease on this surface. He has won eight career titles, three of them coming on grass: he’s a three-time champion in Eastbourne (2019, 2022, 2024). Meanwhile, Zverev is still searching for his first grass-court trophy.