Team World has got a lot of heavy-lifting to do at the Laver Cup this weekend. After all, they have secured the title win only twice against a dominant Team Europe in the seven editions of the cup so far. With a new captain like Andre Agassi sitting at the helm, the red warriors are hoping to flip the script this time around. With a star-studded lineup comprising Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, and teenage sensation Joao Fonseca, there is some glimmer of a comeback at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Yet former coach and ATP icon John McEnroe believes the team is missing something or someone, who would have made the team complete and formidable.
Speaking to 2003 US Open winner and former ATP pro Andy Roddick ahead of Team World’s campaign at the Laver Cup, McEnroe shared his honest thoughts on the squad. When Roddick pointed out that there’s no Ben Shelton or Tommy Paul this time, the 7-time slam winner underlined that their absence might be a reason to worry for Team World’s new Captain Agassi. Especially when it comes to creating solid lineups for doubles. “You know, Ben was great for a couple of years. He played doubles. Doubles are more important than you think, you know, it could come in critically important at the end.”
Focusing more on Shelton’s role, the former World No.1 continued, “I wanted Ben out there, he could play. You know, he has maximum amount of doubles matches he could play. And I am not sure what Andre has got in mind for doubles.” Concluding his thoughts, McEnroe added, “It is going to be three different (doubles) teams, but I wanted Ben to be with different players. Like he played with everybody. So it depends like who you’ve got, who is eager to play. Obviously, you want your best players the last two days.”
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Just to point out how crucial Shelton’s presence would have been, he has an unblemished Laver Cup record. The 22-year-old has played in two editions so far (2023 and 2024). He has won six matches out of the eight that he had played during his appearances. Now even more interesting is his doubles performance. Out of five encounters, he has been able to win in four while teaming up with different partners.
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Earlier this season, Shelton was over the moon to return for his third-straight Laver Cup campaign. “I think it’ll be a pretty cool atmosphere in San Francisco, and we are pumped and super motivated to win back the Laver Cup!” Despite the enthusiasm, he unfortunately wouldn’t be making an appearance.
Why is Ben Shelton missing from the Laver Cup this year?
Unfortunately, the world No.6 is currently sitting out the tour due to an injury. At the US Open earlier this month, he had to retire during his third round matchup against Adrian Mannarino due to a persisting sore shoulder. In the fourth set, he decided to halt play after being unable to bear the strain and agony. Obviously, it was devastating for the youngster, who was a semifinalist in New York back in 2023 and had been in a blistering form in the weeks leading up to the Slam.
During the post-match interview he admitted, “Usually, I’ll play through anything and just kind of find a way. Whether it’s sickness or injury, like, if I can stay out there, I can stay out there. I never felt anything like this before.” The 22-year-old stressed, “I’m not a guy who would retire if I could continue.”
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Now, it seems the damage is a lot more than previously thought. It became obvious after Shelton’s prolonged absence from the court. Shelton chose proper recovery over title runs, which led to his recently withdrawing from the upcoming ATP 500 event in Tokyo. Needless to say, fan concern over Shelton’s health has piqued over the days.