Ben Shelton has confirmed his withdrawal from the upcoming ATP 500 Mexican Open in Acapulco due to an injury sustained during the Dallas Open. The American tennis player, who recently won the Dallas Open by defeating Taylor Fritz in a tough three-set final, was scheduled to compete as the tournament’s number-three seed but will now sit out to focus on recovery.
Details of Shelton’s Injury and Official Statement from Mexican Open
The Mexican Open organizers issued a statement on their X social media account explaining Shelton’s absence. They revealed that Shelton experienced discomfort in his quadriceps during the Dallas event. After consulting with his medical team, he and his support staff decided it was best to prioritize healing instead of competing at Acapulco.
“During the Dallas tournament, Ben Shelton experienced discomfort in his quadriceps,”
the statement said (translated from Spanish).
They added,
“After reviewing it with his medical team, he decided to focus on his recovery before competing again. For this reason, he will not be able to join us at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel [Mexican Open] presented by HSBC 2026.”
“We regret not having him in Acapulco this year and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Impact of Shelton’s Withdrawal Amidst Other Player Absences
Shelton becomes the second high-ranking competitor to withdraw from this year’s Mexican Open, following Lorenzo Musetti, who has been sidelined since the Australian Open. Despite these notable absences, the tournament still promises a strong lineup of contenders vying for the title.
The top eight seeds confirmed for the event are: Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, Casper Ruud, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Flavio Cobolli, Valentin Vacherot, Cameron Norrie, and Frances Tiafoe. Mexican tennis fans can look forward to competitive matches as the event kicks off on Monday, February 23.
Ben Shelton Aims to Recuperate for Upcoming Masters 1000 Tournaments
Looking beyond Acapulco, Shelton’s focus will be on regaining his full fitness to compete at the Indian Wells and Miami Open Masters 1000 events scheduled shortly after the Mexican Open. In 2025, Shelton reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells but exited early in Miami. With his recent strong form—winning 10 of his 12 matches this year—Shelton is optimistic about improving on those performances.
Review of Shelton’s 2026 Performance so Far
- ASB Classic 2R – Win against Francisco Comesana, 7-5, 6-4
- ASB Classic Quarterfinal – Loss to Sebastian Baez, 5-7, 3-6
- Australian Open 1R – Win over Ugo Humbert, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6
- Australian Open 2R – Win against Dane Sweeny, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
- Australian Open 3R – Win versus Valentin Vacherot, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6
- Australian Open 4R – Win over Casper Ruud, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
- Australian Open Quarterfinal – Loss to Jannik Sinner, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6
- Dallas Open 1R – Win against Gabriel Diallo, 6-4, 6-4
- Dallas Open 2R – Win versus Adrian Mannarino, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
- Dallas Open Quarterfinal – Win over Miomir Kecmanovic, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
- Dallas Open Semifinal – Win against Denis Shapovalov, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6
- Dallas Open Final – Victory versus Taylor Fritz, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Position in the ATP Race and Outlook for Rest of the Season
Shelton’s solid results have propelled him into the top eight of the Live ATP Race to Turin. If the season ended today, he would qualify for the ATP Finals as the fourth seed. Nevertheless, with players such as Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev close behind, the race remains open, and Shelton will need to maintain strong performances to secure his place.
The Indian Wells tournament, one of the major upcoming events on the ATP calendar, will begin on Wednesday, March 4, marking Shelton’s anticipated return to competitive tennis once recovered.
Aviso oficial 🚨 pic.twitter.com/jsoSZmITMX
— Abierto Mexicano de Tenis (@AbiertoTelcel) February 20, 2026
