What happened to Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Tommy Paul, and others? How mass food poisoning and upsets plagued Acapulco
Chaos in Acapulco: Top Seeds Fall as Food Poisoning Strikes Mexican Open
The 2025 Mexican Open in Acapulco took a dramatic turn as top seeds Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev, Frances Tiafoe, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, and Tommy Paul all made shock exits in the second round. The tournament, expected to showcase some of the world’s best talents, instead became a battleground against an unexpected opponent—food poisoning.
Acapulco’s Top Seeds Fall in Stunning Fashion
The tournament’s five highest seeds—Zverev, Ruud, Paul, Rune, and Shelton—entered the event as favorites. Zverev, the top seed and 2021 champion, started strong with a hard-fought three-set victory over Matteo Arnaldi. Ruud breezed through his opening match against Arthur Rinderknech, while Tommy Paul dominated qualifier Gabriel Diallo. Meanwhile, Holger Rune and Ben Shelton delivered convincing wins over Roberto Carballés Baena and Flavio Cobolli, respectively.
Frances Tiafoe also looked sharp in his opener, securing a straight-sets win over an in-form Alexandre Muller. However, disaster struck in the second round, as all six players suffered shocking defeats.
Zverev’s Sudden Exit Steals the Spotlight
Alexander Zverev’s upset loss to 18-year-old American Learner Tien was the biggest shock of the night. The World No. 2 fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. What followed was even more bizarre—Zverev, scheduled for a mandatory post-match press conference, stormed out of the stadium and into a waiting car, leaving without speaking to the media.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg noted that the German’s abrupt exit could result in a fine:
“Zverev should be getting a fine today to add to his woes.”
Ben Shelton also suffered a disappointing loss, failing to win a set against former World No. 7 David Goffin. After shaking hands, a frustrated Shelton smashed his racket against his knee. Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe battled but ultimately fell to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a grueling three-setter (3-6, 7-6(8), 6-3).
Food Poisoning Forces Ruud, Paul, and Rune to Withdraw
The tournament’s chaos wasn’t just limited to upsets—stomach illness wreaked havoc among top players.
Tommy Paul was the first to withdraw, pulling out just hours before his match against Marcos Giron. Soon after, Holger Rune retired just three games into his match against Brandon Nakashima, citing severe food poisoning.
“Furious and so sad at the same time,” Rune wrote on X.
“Had food poisoning and was unable to play today. Absolutely not the way I wanted it to end.”
Casper Ruud followed suit, withdrawing minutes before his match against Mexican wildcard Rodrigo Pacheco Méndez. The Norwegian shared his frustration on Instagram:
“I was hoping to overcome this stomach illness that showed up yesterday and tried everything I could to be able to play tonight, until the very last moment.”
Acapulco’s History of Player Health Struggles
This isn’t the first time the ATP 500 event in Acapulco has been plagued by player health issues.
Two years ago, Taylor Fritz battled severe dehydration during a semifinal clash against Tommy Paul. Fritz vomited courtside and struggled to stay upright, prompting his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, to reveal that he nearly had to be hospitalized.
“We were up until 4 am with the tournament doctors. He couldn’t keep any food down, chills, severe dehydration, full body cramping & almost had to go to the hospital. So scary. He is too stubborn to default and pushed himself too hard,” Riddle said in 2023.
In 2024, Fritz again suffered a rough outing in Acapulco, losing to Matteo Arnaldi in the first round. His girlfriend humorously expressed her frustration on Instagram:
“I don’t know why I continue to come to Mexico when I half die literally every time.”
Looking Ahead: Indian Wells on the Horizon
Following their exits in Acapulco, Zverev, Ruud, Paul, Rune, Shelton, and Tiafoe will shift their focus to the Indian Wells Masters, scheduled from March 2-16. Taylor Fritz, seeking redemption after his Acapulco struggles, will also compete as he aims for a second title at the prestigious event.
