The former world No. 1 sends a message to Jannik Sinner following Ben Shelton’s victory

Former world No. 1 Jim Courier, in an interview with Supertennis TV, spoke enthusiastically about Ben Shelton’s upset victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open: “Now the U.S. really has a chance to win.”

“Shelton has improved in every aspect; he’s learned to return the ball by taking up more of the court, and that gives him an advantage in extending the rally. Then there’s his net play, and he’s improved tremendously there as well compared to two years ago. Finally, there’s his serve, which remains the foundation of his game, but you can’t beat Alcaraz with just your serve—you have to find a way to break him, and Shelton did just that.”

“I think this is the best season of his career,” Courier continued. “He’s grown in discipline and focus, and that’s given him the tenacity needed to come back from being down two sets and overcome other critical situations. He’s now a more well-rounded athlete in every respect.”

Alcaraz certainly wasn’t at 100%, and Courier also expressed regret over Jannik Sinner’s absence due to his knee injury: “Carlos has reassured us after seeing him play at such a high level, and we hope the same for Jannik Sinner when he makes his return after his knee troubles: we want to watch these champions, and we want them in peak health so they can continue their journey toward becoming the greatest of all time,” said the former American tennis player.

Meanwhile, Sinner is undergoing treatment for tendinopathy in his knee at J Medical with argon laser therapy, which the Italian Tennis Federation sent to Turin for the Italian champion. The world No. 1 will return to Monte Carlo by the weekend to resume training and set his sights on the tournaments in China.