Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, and Others: Top Stars to Withdraw From Davis Cup After US Open Showdown

The US Open ended with much fanfare as Carlos Alcaraz reigned triumphant over Jannik Sinner. In a battle between two modern-day greats, the Spaniard defeated Sinner in four sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. It was a masterclass of a performance from Alcaraz, with his excellent shot making and picture perfect service game While Alcaraz will be soaking in the sweet success of his victory, there will be little time for him to rest, with the hectic remainder of the season ahead. However, he has made some changes to his schedule as he joins the likes of Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and others in an important Davis Cup decision.

After a marathon couple of weeks at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz, along with Shelton, Paul, and Felix Auger-Aliassime, are set to give the Davis Cup a miss. The Davis Cup qualifiers round 2 was set to take place on 12-13 September, but the top stars who dug deep at the US Open have preferred to skip the two-day event. While Alcaraz won the title, Auger-Aliassime had a scintillating semifinal run, losing out to Jannik Sinner. On the other hand, the American duo of Shelton and Paul pulled out of the Davis Cup qualifiers with injuries.

Interestingly, the United States had announced a full-strength squad for the Davis Cup just ahead of the US Open. Apart from him, the likes of Paul, Taylor Fritz, and Frances Tiafoe were set to play in the qualifiers. But Shelton and Paul’s withdrawal led to the team naming three replacements in the form of Rajeev Ram, Reilly Opelka, and Austin Krajicek. Meanwhile, in the Spanish squad, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has also withdrawn, along with Alcaraz. Jaume Munar, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Pablo Carreno Busta will replace the duo in their tie against Denmark.

Shelton, in particular, was excited to represent America in the upcoming Davis Cup qualifiers. However, his shoulder injury forced him to withdraw from the event. The young American star had also pulled out of the Laver Cup, scheduled later this month. While Shelton had to pull out midway through his third-round clash, the American sensation felt grateful despite his injury setback.

Ben Shelton’s emotional message after US Open exit

With his third-round clash against Adrian Mannarino tied at two sets apiece, Shelton found the going tough after suffering a shoulder injury. Eventually, he decided not to aggravate it and withdraw from the tournament. Amid this setback, Shelton had a heartwarming message about being blessed with a career like his.

He 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.”

While Shelton bowed out in a disappointing fashion, it was contrasting emotions in Alcaraz’s camp. He won his sixth Grand Slam trophy and the hard work had paid off. Although these stars will miss the Davis Cup qualifiers, they could likely return for the Davis Cup Finals, if their nations qualify for the eight-team showdown.