Ben Shelton has refused to underestimate his rivals as the men’s field heads into the US Open without World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is recovering from a right knee injury. The American believes the draw remains highly competitive despite Sinner’s absence, with emerging talents looking to make their mark and established stars chasing further success.
Shelton, meanwhile, is among the leading contenders to make a deep run in New York after successfully defending his Canadian Open title.
Ben Shelton Explains Why Jannik Sinner’s Absence Doesn’t Mean an Easier US Open DrawShelton enjoyed a solid Grand Slam campaign in 2025, with his Australian Open and Wimbledon runs ending against eventual champion Jannik Sinner, while Carlos Alcaraz was responsible for his exit at the French Open.
His US Open campaign, however, ended prematurely after he was forced to retire during his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino because of a shoulder injury.
The 2026 Grand Slam season has been a different story. Shelton reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, where he once again lost to Sinner, but his Slam performances took a downturn afterward. He was eliminated in the second round of the French Open by unseeded Raphaël Collignon before suffering a first-round defeat at Wimbledon to another unseeded opponent, Otto Virtanen.
Sounding caution during her pre-tournament press conference at the 2026 US Open, Shelton said, “I’m focused on my first round, my first match. I don’t think too far beyond that. I don’t look at the draw other than who I’m playing in the first round. And I think that’s the only way for me to be able to compartmentalize and stay in the moment.”
Responding to a reporter’s question about Sinner’s absence and its potential impact, Shelton explained, “I know how much quality that there is in the draw. I think it’d be disrespectful to just think, ‘Oh, there’s no Sinner; it’s a massive opportunity.’”
Shelton pointed to several other formidable contenders in the title race, including French Open champion Alexander Zverev and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic. Defending champion Alcaraz is also in the field, although his form remains a mystery after nearly five months on the sidelines.
“You have guys who’ve won Slams this year in Zverev and Sinner, obviously. Novak’s in the draw.”
The North American swing has also seen emerging talents such as Rafael Jódar and Cincinnati Open champion Arthur Fils make their mark, while American stars Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Brandon Nakashima have put together impressive runs of their own.
“Guys who’ve won big titles and have been in great form, whether it’s Jódar, Arthur Fils. All the American guys are pretty dangerous on the surface, and I think that to discredit the group that is playing high level tennis right now wouldn’t be smart.”
“Going into a tournament like this, I think that you know I always have respect for whoever is playing. I try not to over-respect my opponent, obviously,” Shelton clarified. “But I think that it’s a very important part of who I am as a person and how I look at my tennis game and the tournaments I’m playing in.”
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz Addresses Jannik Sinner’s Absence and ‘Weird Situation’ Ahead of US Open
Despite his inconsistent results, 2026 has been the most successful season of Shelton’s career in terms of titles. He has won four trophies across all four surfaces — indoor hard in Dallas, clay in Munich, grass in Stuttgart, and outdoor hard in Montréal.
The 2023 semifinalist faces a stern opening-round test in his bid for another deep US Open run, with Tallon Griekspoor standing in his way. Known for his aggressive style, Griekspoor is unlikely to be intimidated by the challenge posed by a top seed. The two players have never faced each other on Tour, adding another layer of intrigue to the opening-round clash.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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