24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic sent a supportive message to Ben Shelton after the latter’s exit from the US Open at the hands of veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. Shelton, who won his first Masters 1000 title in Canada earlier this month, had high expectations in the tournament but was not at his best due to his injury.
Novak Djokovic Has Issued Encouraging Message for Ben Shelton After His Heartbreaking US Open Retirement
Shelton’s US Open came to an end on Friday when he was forced to retire with a shoulder injury against 37-year-old Mannarino, with the score level at two sets apiece.
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Following Shelton’s US Open exit, Djokovic took to Instagram to write an encouraging note for the American.
“Tough one today, Ben. Stay strong,” the Serb wrote in his Instagram stories.
Notably, Shelton achieved his best result in New York in 2023 when he reached the semifinals before losing to Djokovic. This remains the only tour-level match between the two.
Djokovic has moved one step closer to an elusive 25th Grand Slam singles trophy with a 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3 win over Cameron Norrie. He will next lock horns with Jan-Lennard Struff, who ousted Frances Tiafoe with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) win.
What Has Ben Shelton Said After His US Open 2025 Exit?
Despite his exit from the US Open, Sheldon has optimistically remarked that he has a lot to be thankful for.
The American, in his post-match interview, said, “I’ve got a lot to be grateful for. Been pretty fortunate with my life, blessings, talents, a lot of things God’s given me. You know, a small setback like this, yeah, it hurts. I was playing really well, I was in form, a lot of confidence. Just so many things to be happy with the way that I was playing, moving on the court, competing.”
“But like I said, it’s been a great summer, a lot of things to be thankful for.”
The American continued, “You won’t hear me over here pouting about how bad things are with the summer that I’ve had, the things that I’ve been able to do in this sport in a short amount of time and the people I got around me, like I said, a lot of blessings.”
In 2025, Sheton performed particularly impressively at the Grand Slam stage. He made the Australian Open semifinals, the fourth round at Roland Garros, and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, losing to the eventual champion each time.
