Fresh off his sensational title defense at the Canadian Open in Montreal, Ben Shelton is heading into Cincinnati for the last Masters 1000 event before the US Open. This time, the Cincinnati draw has opened up in unexpected ways, as two of the sport’s biggest stars, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, have opted out of the tournament.
Although it would remove two major hurdles for Shelton and the rest of the tour, there is still an all-time great to contend with. On Tennis Channel, former pro turned analyst Jim Courier weighed in on the landscape of the men’s draw in Ohio.
Jim Courier Highlights Novak Djokovic as Ben Shelton’s Biggest Threat at Cincinnati Open
Former world No. 1 and Tennis Channel analyst Courier recently broke down the field alongside Jason Goodall, noting the absences of Sinner and Alcaraz while assessing the chances of Novak Djokovic, Shelton, and Alexander Zverev.
“Novak is coming to Cincinnati. Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz are not,” Courier noted during the broadcast. “So, the avenue of opportunity is still there for these guys.”
Shelton, who just dominated the hard courts in Canada without dropping a single set, will be looking forward to taking this opportunity. While he considers Shelton as one of the favorites, Courier believes the American would want to avoid teh 24-time Grand Slam winner.
“Shelton’s going to look at these draws, and he’s going to say, ‘I hope I don’t see Novak,’ I would imagine,” Courier said. “But everyone else, I think he’s going to give himself a good chance against for right now.”
Djokovic is playing the Cincinnati Masters for the first time in three years, as the 39-year-old’s late-career schedule has been dependent on his physical recovery. While everyone expected him to return at the US Open after his semifinal loss to Sinner at Wimbledon, the Serb made a surprise decision, saying he feels physically fit.
He has won the tournaments three times, notably in 2023, when he defeated Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in an epic 3-hour-and-49-minute final.
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Meanwhile, Shelton won his fourth trophy of the 2026 season and his seventh overall in Montreal. The 23-year-old became the fourth man this century to defend the Canada title after Andy Murray (2009-10), Djokovic (2011-12), and Rafael Nadal (2018-19).
Next up, Djokovic will face Thiago Agustin Tirante in his second-round match, while Shelton, the 8th seed, will have to wait to know his opponent as the first-round matches are ongoing.
