Shelton: Sinner withdraws from Rogers Cup due to injury concerns

The American "serving machine" has shared candid thoughts about Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from this year's Rogers Cup.

The decision to withdraw from the 2026 Canadian Open (Rogers Cup 2026) by Jannik Sinner continues to be a controversial topic in the tennis world. However, amidst the differing opinions, American player Ben Shelton publicly defended his colleague, stating that prioritizing health is a completely reasonable choice given the increasingly demanding ATP Tour schedule.

Sinner is one of three big names, along with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, who decided not to participate in the Masters 1000 event in Canada. The Italian player explained that he needs time to recover and wants to put his health first ahead of the important North American hard court season.

This move has caused many to feel regret because Sinner was on the verge of making history as the first player to win all Masters 1000 titles in the same season. However, many experts and colleagues believe this is a wise decision.

Ben Shelton is the latest star to express agreement with Sinner. During a press conference at the Washington Open, the American player emphasized that no one understands an athlete's condition better than themselves.

"I'm not sure if the current schedule is truly sustainable. What worries me most is the risk of injury. Jannik knows his body better than anyone. If Jannik or Novak feel they have enough physical and mental strength, they will definitely compete. In my opinion, they don't miss a tournament without a reason.", Shelton shared.

The American player also pointed out that Sinner has been competing at a very high intensity this year. "He keeps winning and always reaches the later rounds. How can he play all the tournaments while maintaining peak form?", the reigning Rogers Cup champion added.

ATP Tour statistics partly support Shelton's assessment. Since the beginning of the season, Sinner has played 47 matches, significantly more than Shelton's 36. Notably, the Italian player almost always goes deep in the tournaments he enters.

Except for the Australian Open, Qatar Open, and Roland Garros, Sinner has reached the final in every other tournament. Roland Garros is also the only event where he stopped before the quarterfinals, showing that the actual workload of the world number one is much greater than the match count suggests.