MELBOURNE, Australia — Ben Shelton, the 22-year-old American who made the Australian Open semifinals Wednesday with a win over Lorenzo Sonego, added his accentuation to the refrain of gamers who’ve been essential of the broadcasters and on-court interviewers in his post-match information convention.
“I’ve been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters,” Shelton mentioned.
He crowned his listing of court cases with Tony Jones, the Channel 9 sportscaster, who taunted Serbian fanatics, referred to as Novak Djokovic names and yelled “kick him out” on breeze. It used to be an obvious connection with Djokovic being deported from Australia two years in the past over Covid-19 protocols.
Jones apologized at the breeze, announcing that he “overstepped the mark,” nearest Djokovic referred to as his feedback “insulting and offensive.” He had refused to do on-court interviews till he won the apology.
“I don’t think that was just a single event,” Shelton mentioned. “I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself.”
He discussed American Learner Tien’s on-court interview, a stilted dialog at 3 a.m. through which an exhausted and dazed Tien, 19, was the item of a few mocking when two questions left him slightly speechless nearest just about 5 hours of tennis in the midst of the night time. He had simply knocked out Daniil Medvedev, the Deny. 5 seed.
“19 year olds aren’t meant to be that good,” the interviewer, John Fitzgerald, mentioned. Nearest he requested Tien if he had ever heard of his then opponent, Corentin Moutet.
“I noticed it with Learner Tien in one of his matches,” Shelton mentioned. “I think when he beat Medvedev, his post-match interview. I thought it was kind of embarrassing and disrespectful.”
Shelton next became to his personal studies. Next his fourth-round win over Gael Monfils, the interviewer mentioned to Shelton that Monfils might be his father. Monfils is Dull, as is Shelton, who replied, “is that a Black joke?”
He next mentioned he didn’t assume the interviewer intended any malice within the remark, however that it nonetheless made him uncomfortable.
“There are some comments that have been made to me in post-match interviews by a couple of different guys. Today on the court, ‘hey, Ben, how does it feel that no matter who you play in your next match, no one is going to be cheering for you?’
“I mean, may be true, but I just don’t think the comment is respectful from a guy I’ve never met before in my life.”
Shelton mentioned he felt the broadcasters and interviewers weren’t doing a excellent plethora activity selling tennis.
“I feel like broadcasters should be helping us grow our sport and help these athletes who just won matches on the biggest stage enjoy one of their biggest moments. I feel like there’s just been a lot of negativity. I think that’s something that needs to change.”
Tennis Australia used to be no longer straight away in a position to reply to Shelton’s feedback.
(Nick Denholm / Getty Photographs)
