Ben Shelton has refused to underestimate his rivals as the males’s area heads into the US Open without World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is recovering from a proper knee damage. The American believes the draw stays extremely aggressive despite Sinner’s absence, with rising skills trying to make their mark and established stars chasing further success.
Shelton, meanwhile, is among the main contenders to make a deep run in New York after efficiently defending his Canadian Open title.
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Ben Shelton Explains Why Jannik Sinner’s Absence Doesn’t Mean an Easier US Open Draw
Shelton loved a stable Grand Slam marketing campaign in 2025, with his Australian Open and Wimbledon runs ending against eventual champion Jannik Sinner, while Carlos Alcaraz was accountable for his exit at the French Open.
His US Open marketing campaign, however, ended prematurely after he was pressured to retire during his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino because of a shoulder damage.
The 2026 Grand Slam season has been a completely 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 eradicated in the second spherical of the French Open by unseeded Raphaël Collignon before struggling a first-round defeat at Wimbledon to another unseeded opponent, Otto Virtanen.
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Sounding warning during her pre-tournament press convention 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 query about Sinner’s absence and its potential impression, Shelton defined, “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 area, although his type stays a thriller after practically 5 months on the sidelines.
“You have guys who’ve won Slams this year in Zverev and Sinner, obviously. Novak’s in the draw.”
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The North American swing has also seen rising skills 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 collectively spectacular 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
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Despite his inconsistent outcomes, 2026 has been the most profitable season of Shelton’s profession in phrases of titles. He has won 4 trophies across all 4 surfaces — indoor arduous in Dallas, clay in Munich, grass in Stuttgart, and out of doors arduous in Montréal.
The 2023 semifinalist faces a stern opening-round take a look at in his bid for another deep US Open run, with Tallon Griekspoor standing in his method. Known for his aggressive model, Griekspoor is unlikely to be intimidated by the problem posed by a high seed. The two gamers have never confronted each other on Tour, including another layer of intrigue to the opening-round conflict.
This article initially appeared on Pro Football Network.
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