Fifth seed Ben Shelton exited the French Open in the second round on Thursday, losing to Belgian Raphael Collignon 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. The result marks a significant upset at Roland-Garros, following the earlier shock elimination of title favourite Jannik Sinner by Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
Why Shelton's loss matters for the draw
Shelton's second-round exit leaves Félix Auger-Aliassime as the highest-ranked player remaining in the top half of the men's draw. The Canadian world No. 6 now stands as a prominent contender in a suddenly wide-open bracket, with both the top seed and fifth seed already eliminated.
Collignon's breakthrough performance
Collignon, ranked world No. 62, delivered a commanding display to secure the upset victory. The Belgian also reached the US Open third round in 2025, demonstrating a capacity to perform on the sport's biggest stages. He will face either Matteo Arnaldi or former runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round.
Shelton's Grand Slam record
This is the first time Shelton has exited a Grand Slam event before the third round since Wimbledon in 2023, according to NDTV Sports. The American's early departure compounds the tournament's pattern of seeded upsets.