Ben Shelton is back in grind mode, showing fans a glimpse of his preparation ahead of the 2025 Swiss Indoors Basel. The American tennis star recently shared a training video as he gears up for his comeback following a challenging injury break.
How Did Ben Shelton’s Shoulder Injury Halt His Momentum?
Shelton’s road to Basel has been anything but smooth. The 23-year-old was forced to retire during his third-round clash against Adrian Mannarino at the 2025 US Open due to a painful left shoulder injury. Up to that point, Shelton had looked sharp, having split the opening four sets in an intense duel with the French veteran. But midway through the fourth set, while lunging for a return, he landed awkwardly on his left arm.
The pain was instant, and though he tried to soldier through, his physical limits caught up with him. After nearly three hours on court, Shelton’s father and coach, Bryan Shelton, signaled for him to stop, marking the first retirement of his 178-match professional career.
The injury sidelined Shelton for several major events, including the Davis Cup qualifiers, the Laver Cup and the Japan Open, leaving fans eagerly awaiting his return. He made his competitive comeback at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month but was unable to find his rhythm, bowing out to Belgium’s David Goffin in the second round, 6-2, 6-4. Despite the loss, Shelton appeared determined to shake off the rust.
View this post on Instagram
In a recent Instagram post, Shelton shared a short video montage of his Basel practice sessions, featuring intense drills and powerful groundstrokes at the indoor hard courts.
Is Shelton Ready To Make Noise Again in Basel?
Shelton will be making his second appearance at the ATP 500 event in Basel. Last year, he defeated Tomás MartÃn Etcheverry, Stan Wawrinka, Andrey Rublev and Arthur Fils to reach the final, where he lost in straight sets to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
This year, the world No. 6 is seeded second and will take on Polish qualifier Kamil Majchrzak in the opening round. This will be their first meeting on the ATP Tour, with the winner meeting Jaume Munar in the second round.
The 23-year-old also partnered with doubles veteran Rohan Bopanna. Together, they will take on fourth seeds Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys in the first round.
MORE: Ben Shelton Opens Up About ‘God’s Blessings’ After Tearful US Open Goodbye Due to Injury
