Mannarino prevails 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 after Shelton retires with shoulder injury

This compelling battle in Armstrong came to an abrupt end before the start of the fifth set, as Shelton retired due to pain in his left shoulder.

Two southpaws – one American, the other French – slugged it out in Armstrong with the roof closed for a coveted spot in the round of 16. Ben Shelton, just twenty-two, has broken new ground this season, capturing his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto and achieving a career high rank of #6. The 2023 US Open semifinalist appeared determined to claim grand slam glory at his home slam.
Adrian Mannarino is currently ranked #77 but achieved a career-high ranking of #17 in January 2024. The thirty-seven-year-old veteran with five career titles always poses a formidable threat with his flat, potent groundstrokes.

He fell to Shelton in straights in Canada but reached the round of 16 in Cincinnati (l. Sinner). While he had yet to progress beyond the third round in his prodigious career, this was his sixth appearance in this round. The Frenchman led the head-to-head 2-1, including a five-set thriller down under last year.

Imago

Shelton seeded sixth, won the toss, and chose to serve. He fired two aces and held at love while Mannarino made 3/4 first serves and held at love to level. Shelton struck an incredible inside-in forehand and held at love for 2-1 while the Frenchman donated three unforced errors and dumped serve.

Shelton, increasingly confident off the ground, struck his third ace and held easily to 15 while Mannarino hit his first ace and held to 15 for 2-4. The American faced a break point after a Mannarino overhead smash, but managed to hold with an ace out wide.

The Frenchman, serving with new balls and to stay in the set, opened with a fantastic forehand down the middle and with another crosscourt, held to 15 for 3-5. Shelton winning the majority of the longer rallies, made 4/5 first serves, and secured the set when Mannarino netted a backhand.

Mannarino served first in the second and held despite five unforced errors and three deuce points. Shelton opened with a double fault and dropped serve following two additional errors and a let cord winner from his opponent.

Mannarino missed 10/14 first serves, faced four deuce and three break points, but consolidated the break for 3-0. The 6th seed made 3/5 first serves, including an ace on game point for 1-3, while Mannarino hit his second ace and held at love for 4-1.

Shelton made 3/4 first serves, including an ace out wide to hold at love, while Mannarino donated his first double fault and faced deuce but held for 5-2 with an overhead smash.
Shelton, serving with new balls and to stay in the set, gifted his second double fault but held to 30 for 3-5. Mannarino missed 3/5 first serves yet clinched the set with a well-placed serve and a stunning forehand down the line.

Shelton served first in the third and held easily to 15 with an extraordinary forehand down the line while Mannarino struggled, facing deuce and break point, yet held to level. The American hit his seventh ace and held to 30 while Mannarino donated another double fault, faced two deuce and two break points but held for 2-2.

Shelton made 4/5 first serves and held easily to 15 with an overhead smash. The crafty tour veteran gifted his third double fault and a slew of unforced errors to dump serve, and Shelton failed to consolidate and was broken at love. Mannarino made 3/4 first serves and held at love for 4-4 while Shelton opened and closed with winners, holding at love for 5-4.

The Frenchman serving to stay in the set butchered a makeable overhead, faced double set point, and conceded it when Shelton crushed a remarkable running forehand which Mannarino netted thinking it was long.

Shelton served first in the fourth and, with his eighth ace and an overhead smash, saved a break point and held while Mannarino made 5/5 first serves and held easily to level. Midway through that game, Shelton took a seat and called for the trainer. He motioned to his father and coach, Bryan Shelton, that he was in a lot of pain as he grabbed his left shoulder near the clavicle.

The young American struck two consecutive aces and held to 30 while Mannarino hit an ace up the tee and held to 15 for 2-2. Shelton opened the fifth with his 11th ace and held to love while Mannarino faced two deuce points but held with an overhead smash and crosscourt backhand volley winner.

Shelton opened the seventh with another spectacular smash, but with three backhand unforced errors, faced double break point and dropped serve. Mannarino made 6/6 first serves and held to 30 to consolidate the break for 5-3.

Shelton, serving to stay in the set, winced in pain with every forehand follow-through and quickly faced double set point. His coach encouraged him to come in more and only hit forehands to set up winning shots. Although he donated another double fault, he saved two additional set points with three winning serve and volley points and held for 4-5 with a monster serve out wide!
Mannarino served for the set and, with an ace out wide and a crosscourt forehand pass, secured it 6-4. Mannarino left the court following the conclusion of the set. Unbeknownst to him, Shelton informed the chair that he could not continue and retired.

It was an unfortunate end to a highly entertaining and competitive match between two contrasting southpaws. While Shelton brings the heat and is a supreme athlete, Mannarino possesses a plethora of tools at his disposal in addition to a keen court craft and years of experience.

Mannarino was clutch, saving 7/10 break points while converting 3/9. He hit twenty-one winners to thirty-three unforced errors and struck four aces to three double faults.

The Frenchman will take on the talented Czech, Jiri Lehecka, the 20th seed. This will be their first tour-level meeting, playing for a coveted spot in the final eight.