Ben Shelton Withdraws From 2023 China Open In Beijing

Ben Shelton won't be participating in the China Open this year as he withdrew from the event, with some speculating it's because of the Laver Cup.

Shelton has played a lot of tennis lately, and most of that came at the US Open. He made his best effort on the Grand Slam level yet by making the US Open semi-final.

He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in a very competitive match, but the American remained upbeat about his result, hoping to carry the form into the following events.

The next event for him is the Laver Cup, which he'll open with a match against fellow rising star Arthur Fils. It promises to be a really good showcase of the new talents in the sport. After the Laver Cup, Shelton was supposed to go to Beijing and play there at the ATP 500 event.

However, that plan has changed, as he has now pulled out of the event following compatriots Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. Many fans speculate whether the withdrawals are due to the Laver Cup, as all three players are competing for Team World in the event.

It might be, though, in the case of Shelton, there are some factors to consider as well. The event in Beijing is a really strong one, and Shelton didn't get direct entry due to his rise in the rankings coming after the entry list cut-off date.

He would have had to play the qualifying, which doesn't seem like an enticing option after a packed Laver Cup weekend. That likely contributed to his decision to simply give up on playing at the event, as he'll make his debut in China at the Shanghai Masters.

That event is far bigger, rewarding the efforts of the players more, both financially and when it comes to the ranking points.