Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul will both miss the 2025 Laver Cup after being forced to withdraw from the eighth edition of the event.
The eighth edition of the Laver Cup will run from September 19th to 21st in San Francisco. That means Team World will once again host the competition, but their line-up will be a bit weaker than expected.
Full line-ups for both teams were already announced. Team Europe's new captain, Yannick Noah, and new vice-captain, Tim Henman, have selected Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, and Flavio Cobolli.
Team World's new captain, Andre Agassi, and new vice-captain, Pat Rafter, initially selected Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Francisco Cerundolo, and Joao Fonseca.
That line-up was now changed. The No. 2 and No. 3 players, based on the ATP Rankings, Shelton and Paul, both withdrew from the event because of injuries sustained at the US Open.
Shelton won his first two matches without losing a set before running into Adrian Mannarino. The American was leading by two sets to one, but sustained a shoulder injury at the start of the fourth set. He retired from the match and subsequently withdrew from the Laver Cup.
Paul, on the other hand, played his third-round match against Alexander Bublik. It was a five-set fight, with the Kazakhstani player winning 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1. The American player also withdrew from the Laver Cup.
For Shelton, it would have been his third appearance, while Paul was supposed to attend his second Laver Cup. Instead, there will be a new debutant at the event.
Shelton and Paul were replaced by Reilly Opelka, who played the Laver Cup once, in 2021, and Alex Michelsen, who has never competed at the event.
Young stars take over the Laver Cup
Although Shelton and Paul withdrew from the event, the line-up of those competing remains strong. The likes of Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli, Holger Rune, and Joao Fonseca will all make their debuts. Cobolli is looking forward to the event.
"The Laver Cup is one of the most exciting events in our sport. It was incredible to be part of it last year, and it was my goal to play this year. To be named to the team and compete for Team Europe will be really special, I cannot wait."
It will be a new experience also for the new captains. Yannick Noah is a competitor at heart, which is why he can't wait to lead Team Europe at this year's Laver Cup.
"Winning the Laver Cup is always a challenge, and this year will be no different. Our team has the talent, experience and the hunger to defend the Laver Cup against a very strong Team World and we are all ready to go."
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