Ben Shelton enters 2026 US Open seeking to break grand slam cycle

Eighth-seeded Ben Shelton begins his 2026 US Open campaign aiming to advance past the round-of-16 stage at major tournaments. The American tennis player has faced a pattern of recent losses in Grand Slam second-week appearances, primarily falling to Top 2 opponents and eventual tournament champions. Despite winning four titles this year, including a title defense in Canada, Shelton experienced early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. With Jannik Sinner withdrawn from the US Open and Carlos Alcaraz returning from a wrist injury, the tournament bracket positions Shelton in a challenging quarter of the draw. Shelton must navigate his early matches before a potential clash with Alcaraz. The US Open remains the venue of his deepest run to date, having reached the semifinals there previously.

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