Has Ben Shelton Replaced Holger Rune in Big 3 Discussion After Dane’s US Open Failure?

For quite some time tennis fans have been in search of players from the next generation to replace the ‘Big 3’. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the frontrunners who now seem to be the next faces of the sport. Holger Rune was often added to this conversation to complete the ‘next big 3’. However, following yet another colossal failure in a Grand Slam, fans are now removing him from such conversations and replacing the Dane with Ben Shelton.

Holger Rune is yet to make a deep run in a major tournament. Following a semifinal finish at the Cincinnati Masters 2024, the 21-year-old did convince a large group of enthusiasts and pundits that he could have a remarkable outing at the US Open 2024. That wouldn’t be the case.

Rune suffered one of the most embarrassing losses of his career, falling to Brandon Nakashima. Nakashima is in great form, having defeated Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz in back-to-back tournaments in August, but Rune sustaining a 2-6, 1-6, 4-6 loss in less than two hours of action can only be called a major upset.

Brandon Nakashima upsets Holger Rune in straight sets pic.twitter.com/RCOr4dzQAU

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2024

Following a humiliating display on Court 17, fans were extremely critical of the youngster’s performance. Apart from multiple nasty comments being passed, a large group of people rejected the idea of the former World No.4 being in the same conversation as Alcaraz and Sinner.

And he considers himself part of the new big 3 with Sinner & Alcaraz

— Dandresaldi (@dandresaldi) August 27, 2024

Some of y’all trying to put Rune in the same tier as Alcaraz and Sinner need to hush up for awhile cuz he is not them. Of the current youngsters it’s Alcaraz and Sinner and even Sinner doesn’t have Alcaraz’ resume. Rune is a mess right now. Hyped up mess right now

— Que La Chinga, America?!! (@TerpGrad01) August 26, 2024

Becoming increasingly more likely his 2022 season was a flash in the pan this is the Holger Rune we should expect more often; a player who is constantly moving between 20-50th overall as opposed to a Top 10-15 player

— Erik Andersen (@erikandersennn) August 26, 2024

Certain fans claimed that Ben Shelton could replace Rune in the “next big 3” talks.

They once said Rune is a great talent currently Shelton doing better 100x better than him

— Nathaniel (@Natold_69) August 26, 2024

Out of all the players on tour, Ben Shelton is the one with enough potential to join the ‘next big 3’ conversations. However, Lorenzo Musetti is giving the American youngster tough competition for the same.

Both players won their first-round contests in New York City comfortably. Now that Rune is officially out of any such ‘next big 3’ conversations, it’ll be interesting to see which one of the two – Shelton or Musetti – will make a deeper run in the ongoing major tournament and replace the Dane.