Ben Shelton ATP Copa Davis 2026

Shelton makes a risky decision after losing the US Open final

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 15 Sep 2026
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Ben Shelton, schedule and Davis Cup. Photo: gettyimages

Ben Shelton has disregarded one of the accepted maxims in the world of tennis for players reaching a Grand Slam final, which is to take a break and not compete in the week following.

Despite making it to the final of the US Open 2026 and losing it, with the moral blow it caused him, compounded by the physical and mental strain of the two weeks of competition, the American has decided to heed the call of the Davis Cup team of the United States for the series against the Czech Republic.

Zverev will also compete in the Davis Cup this coming weekend

While it is true that Zverev will also compete a few days after the final in New York, the German will do so at home, in Halle, and with much less demand than Shelton will face. Additionally, he has much greater experience in managing efforts of this type, although he is also taking a significant risk.

What no one expected was for Shelton to decide to participate in this home tie against the Czechs, knowing it starts on Thursday, September 18, with one day less of rest than Zverev, and having to face highly demanding opponents like Jiri Lehecka or Jakub Mensik.

The U.S. team will arrive in Prague with a true Dream Team, which will also include Fritz and Paul, being aware of the challenge they face and the necessity to overcome it in order to bring one of the great superpowers of the tennis world to the ultimate fight for the Salad Bowl in Bologna, during the month of November. It remains to be seen what role Shelton will play and what consequences this effort will have for him for the remainder of the season.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shelton toma una arriesgada decisión tras perder la final del US Open