Ben Shelton Speaks Frankly About Jannik Sinner and His Absence
Ben Shelton is undoubtedly one of the favorites at the U.S. Open following Jannik Sinner’s forced absence due to a knee injury. The American tennis player, who dominated in Montreal, spoke at the press conference on the eve of the Grand Slam tournament about the Italian’s absence and what it means for the tour.
“I think it would be disrespectful to think, ‘Sinner isn’t here—it’s a great opportunity.’ Jannik isn’t here, but there are still players who have won Grand Slams and major titles and are in excellent form. Zverev won a Grand Slam this year; Novak is in the main draw. All the Americans are dangerous on this surface. I always respect everyone.”
“The U.S. Open is my favorite tournament,” Shelton continued. “I feel a lot of emotion here, and I need to find a balance. Last year I got injured in the third round, so we’ll see what I can do. The win in Montreal? I felt great in Montreal. I’m proud of the consistency I showed there, my mental attitude, and, above all, the level of tennis I played. I’ve reflected on the things I did well that week, working even more closely on the details of certain aspects.”
In late July, when the South Tyrolean skipped Montreal, the American fiercely defended the world No. 1’s decision: “Jannik knows his own body better than anyone else. If he felt physically and mentally ready, he’d play. He doesn’t skip a tournament without a reason.” A clear-eyed perspective that fits into a broader reflection on the sustainability of the tour: “I believe the biggest problem I’m seeing is injuries. The number of matches played is extremely high. I don’t think something like that is sustainable.”
In the drawn bracket, Shelton is in the bottom half alongside Alcaraz and could face the Spaniard in the quarterfinals, with Novak Djokovic as a possible opponent in the semifinals for the No. 2 seed. The American, ranked ninth in the ATP rankings with 3,480 points, thus enters the tournament with real ambitions in a competition that looks more wide-open than ever, even though the field remains extremely strong.
