American tennis player Ben Shelton, who reached the final of the U.S. Open earlier this year, saw his run at the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters end in the third round on Sunday. Shelton was defeated 7‑6 (5), 7‑6 (3) by 21‑year‑old Frenchman Arthur Gea.
Match details
Shelton entered the tournament with a memorable start, winning his opening match on his 24th birthday. In the third‑round encounter, both sets were decided by tiebreakers. Shelton held a match point at 6‑3 in the second‑set tiebreak, but Gea converted the very next point to clinch the set and the match.
Other third‑round action
Also on Sunday, 26th‑seeded Russian Karen Khachanov advanced by beating French veteran Adrian Mannarino 6‑2, 6‑4. Top‑seeded Alexander Zverev, the reigning U.S. Open champion, was slated to play a night match against fellow Frenchman Quentin Halys later in the evening.
Notable withdrawal
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Shanghai Masters earlier in the week, announcing he would sit out the remainder of the 2026 season to recover from a right knee injury.
Implications for Shelton
Shelton’s loss comes after a breakthrough season that saw him reach the U.S. Open final, a milestone that has raised his profile in American tennis. While the early exit is disappointing, his performance against a younger opponent demonstrates his competitiveness on the ATP Tour.
Looking ahead
With the Asian swing of the ATP calendar continuing, Shelton will have opportunities to regroup and add points to his ranking. Fans will be watching to see how he bounces back from this setback and whether he can build on the momentum generated by his U.S. Open run.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
