Ben Shelton receives good news ahead of Wimbledon despite defeat to Taylor Fritz

Wimbledon draw opens up after Novak Djokovic injury news

Injury concerns for Novak Djokovic have surfaced again just before Wimbledon, raising fresh doubts about his fitness. The 37-year-old picked up a knee injury during the French Open, which caused him to miss the grass court events in Stuttgart and Queen’s.

He’s expected back at Wimbledon, but even if he makes it onto the court, there are questions about how much of a threat he’ll be. He might find himself ranked outside the world’s top 20 before long, putting him on a collision course with one of the top seeds early in the draw.

Despite the loss to Fritz in Halle, Shelton’s recent performances on grass suggest he could be ready for a deep run at Wimbledon. Last year, he reached as high as World No. 14 but couldn’t string together consistent results on grass or hard courts.

Ben Shelton confirmed as a top-four seed at Wimbledon

Even though Ben Shelton is ranked world number five, he was set to be the fourth seed at Wimbledon due to Carlos Alcaraz missing this year’s tournament. But his position wasn’t secure. Alex de Minaur, who was playing at Queen’s, could have overtaken him if results went his way. Shelton needed to keep pace to hold onto that spot.

Shelton’s loss to Fritz opened the door for De Minaur, but the Australian also fell short, losing in the quarter-finals at Queen’s to Brandon Nakashima. De Minaur’s early exit means that Shelton is now officially a top-four seed for the first time in his Grand Slam career.

This is important because it ensures he won’t face Jannik Sinner until at least the semi-finals—a player who has beaten him nine times in a row, including at Wimbledon in both 2024 and 2025.

Shelton will also avoid Alexander Zverev until the semis, but it’s Sinner who stands out given their recent history. This seeding should give Shelton some extra confidence as he aims to become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a Grand Slam title.

Alex de Minaur misses out on a chance at Queen’s

Shelton’s loss to Fritz may have worked out in his favour, but for De Minaur, it was more of a missed opportunity. Like Shelton, De Minaur has struggled against Sinner, perhaps even more so. He’s lost all 13 matches he’s played against the world number one.

Now, he could face Sinner in the quarter-finals once again — a round of Grand Slams that he still hasn’t managed to get past. The Australian has lost all seven of his previous major quarter-finals. This latest setback could make it even harder for him to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.

He also missed a big chance at Queen’s this year. With no other top 20 players left in the draw, this could have been one of the biggest titles of his career.

The Wimbledon seedings will be finalised after this week, with Sinner, Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Shelton expected to be named as the top four seeds.

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