Former American players John Isner and Steve Johnson recently weighed in on the “terribly unfortunate” struggles of American youngster Ben Shelton after the US Open. Johnson even attributed that to 1 major factor during their candid conversation.
After a promising campaign highlighted by his maiden Masters 1000 title, Shelton suffered a severe shoulder injury that significantly disrupted his form.
John Isner and Steve Johnson Got Honest on Ben Shelton’s Post-US Open Struggles
Shelton has firmly established himself as one of the tour’s rapidly rising talents, and his results in the first half of the season reflected that. The 23-year-old compiled a strong 40–24 record and captured his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open.
He also delivered a runner-up finish in Munich, reached the semifinals at both the Australian Open and Stuttgart, and recorded quarterfinal runs at Indian Wells, Wimbledon, Cincinnati, and Paris, a series of performances that underscored his rapid progress.
However, just as Shelton was hitting his stride on tour, an unfortunate turn derailed his momentum. He was in commanding form at the US Open, winning his first two rounds in straight sets. But in the third round, he not only ran into a stiff challenge from France’s Adrian Mannarino but also sustained a shoulder injury during the match. This setback ultimately shifted the course of his season.
Shelton, the sixth seed, saw his US Open run end abruptly as he was forced to retire with the score tied at 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6. He repeatedly clutched his shoulder during the match and left the court in tears after the injury became too much to continue.
Shelton’s post–US Open struggles were recently discussed on the Nothing Major podcast, which featured former American players Sam Querrey, Isner, Johnson, and Jack Sock. The conversation unfolded as Querrey highlighted Shelton’s impressive rise in 2025 before noting the injury that stalled his progress. Isner then chimed in, saying:
“He did. He got terribly unlucky at the US Open. In all likelihood would be high ranked in nine.”
Shelton has drawn significant attention for his explosive movement, full-stretch slides, and relentless court coverage, which often give him a clear edge over his opponents. However, Johnson noted that the same eventually got him in trouble.
“His athleticism cost him the end of the season. None of us would have gotten to any of those shots,” he chimed in.
Shelton made his much-anticipated return at the Shanghai Masters, but the comeback fell short as he bowed out in the second round to David Goffin. An early exit followed in Basel, but he steadied himself with a quarterfinal run in Paris.
Although he secured a spot at the ATP Finals in Turin, he couldn’t shift the momentum there either, losing all three of his group-stage matches.
