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American contestants Shelton and Tiafoe succumb to injuries, resulting in a setback for U.S. aspirations at the US Open tournament

In New York, sixth-seeded Ben Shelton withdraws from his U.S. Open match against Adrian Mannarino, while 17th-seeded Frances Tiafoe suffers a loss, dealing a significant setback to the U.S.'s aspiration to produce a men's Grand Slam champion after a 22-year drought. Initially, 23 American...

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2025 September 8 . 7:59 AM

2 min read

American hope falters at US Open as Shelton withdraws, Tiafoe falls

American contestants Shelton and Tiafoe succumb to injuries, resulting in a setback for U.S. aspirations at the US Open tournament

In the ongoing U.S. Open, the tournament has seen its fair share of drama and excitement. One of the most notable stories is the departure of several American players from the competition.

In the third round, sixth seed Ben Shelton had to retire from his match against Adrian Mannarino due to a shoulder injury. Shelton, who shed tears and looked dejected before pulling out, had been experiencing severe pain in his left shoulder during the game. The match was abandoned at 6-4 in the fourth set, with Mannarino leading 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-4. Mannarino expressed sympathy for Shelton's injury and wished him the best.

Another American player, Frances Tiafoe, also bid adieu to the U.S. Open in the third round. Tiafoe lost to Jan-Lennard Struff on the Grandstand court with a score of 6-4 6-3 7-6(7). Tiafoe's loss left only one American man, Taylor Fritz, in the U.S. Open's quarter-finals. Fritz, the fourth seed, had previously defeated Swiss Jerome Kym in the third round.

Tommy Paul, the 14th seed, is the other American man still in the U.S. Open draw. Paul, known for his aggressive playing style and having risen into the ATP top 50, will face Kazakh 23rd seed Alexander Bublik in the fourth round. Paul, who was born in 1997, has won multiple ATP titles, including his first in 2021 at the Stockholm Open, and reached the 2023 Australian Open semifinal.

Jan-Lennard Struff, who sent out last year's U.S. Open semi-finalist Tiafoe in the third round, regained his composure after a flurry of double faults towards the end of the contest against Tiafoe. Struff, who has expressed that serving out a match can sometimes be tough, managed to stay calm and refocus.

Twenty-three American men started the U.S. Open with the goal of winning the title. However, as the tournament progresses, only Fritz and Paul remain, adding an extra layer of excitement to their upcoming matches.