Ben Shelton was set to compete at the 2026 Mexican Open in Acapulco, but the tournament announced that he had withdrawn to focus on his recovery. In response to this decision, Shelton received support from former world No. 8 John Isner.
Shelton had a brilliant start to his 2026 season, competing in three tournaments: the ASB Classic, the Australian Open, and the Dallas Open. He reached the quarterfinals in Auckland and Melbourne and secured his first title of the season in Dallas.
John Isner Backs Ben Shelton’s Withdrawal From Mexican Open
At the 2026 Dallas Open, Shelton, who was seeded second, defeated Gabriel Diallo, Adrian Mannarino, Miomir Kecmanović, and defending champion Denis Shapovalov to reach the final. There, he overcame Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, winning the tournament and claiming the fourth ATP Tour title of his career.
After his victory in Dallas, the former world No. 5 was expected to compete at the Mexican Open but ultimately withdrew. Recently, while speaking on the “Nothing Major Show” podcast, Isner commented on Shelton’s withdrawal, stating that it was a mindful decision as he is looking to take care of his body ahead of two important ATP Masters 1000 tournaments: the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open.
“I think he’s just listening to his team, listening to his body. He’s got some two obviously massive 1000s coming up in the United States and he’s coming off a win as well. So, he’s just going to keep that confidence and take it into Indian Wells. He is going to be training hard in Orlando, getting ready for these two tournaments. So, I like what he’s doing,” Isner said.
Isner mentioned that there are many factors a player must consider before participating in the Mexican Open, which he described as a “survival of the fittest” kind of tournament.
“Acapulco, as we all know, is like a survival of the fittest tournament in terms of, you have to be in really good shape, but you also have to cross your fingers that you don’t get Montezuma’s revenge there. I mean, there are a lot of variables when you go down to that tournament,” he continued.
The former world No. 8 also brought up the “no-meat policy” implemented at the players’ restaurant in Acapulco to mitigate the risks of serving contaminated meat. He suggested that Shelton might have withdrawn from the tournament because of this policy, as players need ample protein to perform at their best.
“You cannot eat meat down there this year. That’s crazy. So, there’s a no-meat policy in Acapulco, which may be Ben’s not a fish guy, and he needs his protein. I don’t blame him, man. I’m not going to be eating tofu down there for protein. Sounds terrible. Late matches take a lot out of you. If anyone could handle it, it’s Ben,” he said.
Isner praised Shelton’s strong start to the year, with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open and a title win at the Dallas Open. He believes that Shelton’s withdrawal from the Mexican Open will allow him to be “dialed in” for the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open.
“But I do like what he’s doing. He’s off to a great start this year. What he did in Australia, quarters, and he wins a 500 in Dallas. He’s in a perfect spot. I really like the fact that he’s not playing Acapulco this week. He’s going to be dialed in going forward,” Isner added.
Shelton’s next competition will be at the 2026 Indian Wells Masters, scheduled for March 4 to March 15, 2026, with main draw matches held on the outdoor hard courts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
In addition to Shelton, players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Lorenzo Musetti, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Alex de Minaur are also expected to compete in the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in California.
