Shelton retires hurt in third-round match
Tiafoe beaten by qualifier Struff in straights
Fritz and Paul are last US men still alive
It was a bruising Friday afternoon for American men’s tennis at the US Open as both Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe exited within the space of an hour, leaving only Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul to carry home hopes.
Shelton, the No 6 seed and one of the leading contenders to end the United States’ 22-year wait for a men’s grand slam champion, retired from his third-round match against France’s Adrian Mannarino with a shoulder injury. It was the 22-year-old’s first career retirement and came as he led by two sets to one before disaster struck late in the third.
