Returning due to injury, Ben Shelton loses opening match at Shanghai Masters
Shanghai – Sixth seed Ben Shelton has not played since he suffered a left shoulder injury at the U.S. Open, and David Goffin defeated 6-2, 6-4 on Friday in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.
Goffin broke Sheldon’s serve shortly after he resumed the game after a brief rain suspension.
Earlier this week, Sheldon said he still hopes to qualify for the ATP finals in Turin, Italy starting November 9, despite five weeks of layoffs.
Sheldon is currently ranked sixth in the Torino Points Competition, with eight finals. But his losses on Friday will put those ambitions in trouble.
“This is the first time I have put myself in a good position,” Shelton told the ATP Tour website this week. “Hopefully I can get more good results and overcome the boundaries.” ”
In another second round, American Frances Tiafoe finished 25th, losing to Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-7 (9), 6-2, 6-1.
Shanghai’s best seed players received goodbye in the first round. No. 4 Novak Djokovic and fifth seed Taylor Fritz are scheduled to compete later on Friday.
Jannik Sinner won the China Open final in Beijing on Wednesday and didn’t play until Saturday. The highest ranked Carlos Alcaraz beat Fritz in the final of the Japan Open and announced after his victory in Tokyo that he would not play in Shanghai due to some minor illnesses.
