Djokovic Advances as Injuries and Upsets Shake the US Open
What a rollercoaster it’s been at this year’s US Open. Friday turned into one of the most dramatic days of the tournament so far, with injuries, heartbreak, and history all unfolding across the courts in New York.
The spotlight first fell on American star Ben Shelton, who came in as one of the top contenders and a genuine hope to end the United States’ two-decade-long drought in men’s Grand Slam titles. He was battling France’s Adrian Mannarino in a tense third-round match that had fans glued to their seats. Shelton started strong, using his power game to build a two-sets-to-one lead. But then disaster struck. While stretching for a ball, he landed awkwardly on his left arm and immediately winced in pain. During a medical timeout, he admitted to his father and coach Bryan that something had gone wrong with his shoulder and described the pain as some of the worst he had ever felt.
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Despite trying to soldier on with adjustments—like rushing the net for serve-and-volley points—his movement became more limited, and Mannarino clawed his way back into the match. Just as the crowd anticipated a deciding set, Shelton bowed his head, tears in his eyes, and retired from the contest. It was the first career retirement for the 22-year-old, and it left Louis Armstrong Stadium stunned. For Mannarino, it was a bittersweet triumph: his first win over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam and his first time advancing to the second week of the US Open.
Not long after, more disappointment hit home fans. Frances Tiafoe, seeded 17th and previously a semifinalist in New York, fell in straight sets to German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff. Tiafoe admitted afterward that he had played passively and never found his rhythm. Struff, on the other hand, was relentless, firing down aces and pulling off one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.
While the younger generation struggled, Novak Djokovic showed once again why he remains a force of nature at 38 years old. Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, he overcame a lower back problem and defeated Britain’s Cameron Norrie in four sets. With the victory, Djokovic not only eliminated the last Briton in the men’s draw but also became the oldest man to reach the US Open’s last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991. On top of that, he passed Roger Federer for the most hardcourt wins at Grand Slam tournaments, marking his 192nd. The Serb, eyeing a record 25th major title, smiled afterward and said he felt “as young and strong as ever.”
Elsewhere, defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka both advanced, though Alcaraz briefly scared fans with a knee issue that turned out to be minor. Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, however, were both eliminated, ending British and Canadian hopes in the women’s draw.
For American fans, the pressure now shifts to Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul, the last two homegrown men standing. After a bruising day, the dream of a U.S. champion lives on—but just barely. The contrast could not have been sharper: young stars cut down by injury and inconsistency, while Djokovic marches forward, rewriting the record books.
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