Despite being one of the biggest events on the ATP and WTA Tour, the Canadian Open is yet again affected by multiple withdrawals featuring some of the biggest stars of the game. The world number one, Jannik Sinner, withdrew his name from the event, saying, “I have to prioritize my health.” Even Carlos Alcaraz cited fatigue as one of the primary reasons behind his withdrawal from the tournament this year. But that’s not all! Other Top 10 stars, including Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper, will also be absent from this tournament. Does this open up the doors for someone like Ben Shelton, who had recently climbed up to number 7 in the singles ranking?

Well, Ben Shelton has already played 44 matches this season, and he has a win percentage of 61.4% this season. Shelton has been quite impressive in the Grand Slam tournaments this year. After reaching the SF at the AO, although he failed to reach the QF at the French Open, Shelton did put up a good show at Wimbledon by reaching the QF. Interestingly, all three of his major campaigns ended at the hands of the eventual champion (i.e., Sinner at AO, Alcaraz at the French Open, and then again, Sinner at Wimbledon). Now, since both the top two-ranked players have already withdrawn their names from the Canadian Open, is this a big chance for Shelton to clinch his first title of the season?

In his pre-tournament interview, Ben Shelton said, “I guess a sense of opportunity. I think a lot of players probably feel that. For me, I’m excited whenever it’s a big tournament, no matter who is in it, and the more top players in it, the better, you know. I’m sure that the fans feel the same way.” Highlighting the pullout of the four players inside the Top 6, he added, “There’s a lot of great players, hungry, in-form players, who are looking to do some damage and, yeah, I think I’m one of those guys.”

However, having said that, Ben Shelton claimed that it’s still not going to be easy, as many other great players will be taking part in this tournament. But this will be a great chance for someone like him to get some matches and wins under his belt before kickstarting his campaign at the 2025 US Open. A few wins in these preparatory tournaments can definitely do wonders for his confidence. Despite facing a few defeats against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the last few months, his performances have been quite impressive against these two. He showcased a fair bit of resilience in their matches. What does he have to say about Sinner and Alcaraz and their incredible rivalry?

Ben Shelton shares his thoughts on two fierce rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Ben Shelton has faced Carlos Alcaraz three times in his career, and he’s yet to win a match against the Spaniard. In 2023, while speaking about the Spaniard, Shelton revealed that he first heard about Alcaraz when he was 14. He said that at that time, everyone in the US was hailing Carlitos as the best 14-year-old in the world. During that conversation, Shelton even hailed Alcaraz as the “present and future of tennis.”

Later on, ahead of their battle at the 2025 French Open, Carlos Alcaraz revealed that he has a “huge respect” for Ben Shelton and also stated that Shelton has been doing great so far. In that fourth-round match, Shelton pushed the defending champion to four sets, and after the match, everyone heaped praise on him for showcasing such an incredible fight. Even Jannik Sinner had praised Shelton after his 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 win over him at the Wimbledon QF.

Although his journey came to an end in the fourth round, Shelton didn’t really miss the chance to watch both Sinner and Alcaraz take on each other in the final. Reacting to that epic Roland Garros final, he said, “I’m not really the guy who sits there and watches the tournament after I’m out, you know. I’ll maybe watch a different sport or not watch anything at all.” He spoke about how the close fight between Sinner and Alcaraz kept him on the edge of his seat. “That’s some of the most clutch tennis I’ve seen at 6-all in the 5th in my life,” he said.

What does he have to say about the challenges of facing both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, especially after seeing their clear dominance in the majors? “It’s frustrating. There are a lot of things. It’s two very different players and challenges. With Sinner, who I’ve played the most, his ball speed is really high. Never seen anything like it,” said the American. Shelton says playing against Sinner makes him feel like things are in 2x speed! He says it’s a bit difficult when a guy is hitting the ball that big consistently off both wings and serving the way he does.

Thankfully for Shelton, ‘Sincaraz’ will not be seen in action at the Canadian Open. But can he take this opportunity with both hands? Share your thoughts in the comment box.