Ben Shelton, the world No. 20, expressed his concerns regarding the conduct of on-court interviewers during his post-match press conference at the Australian Open. Following his victory over Lorenzo Sonego, Shelton criticized remarks made to him and other players, describing them as disrespectful and bordering on mockery. His comments come in the wake of Novak Djokovic’s recent boycott of Channel 9 due to “disrespectful” comments made by host Tony Jones, which garnered significant media attention.
Shelton, who reached his first semifinal at Melbourne Park after a hard-fought match, highlighted two specific instances that he found particularly inappropriate. Just days prior, an interviewer suggested that 38-year-old Gael Monfils was “old enough to be your dad,” a comment Shelton found uncalled for. Additionally, he was told that no one would support him in his upcoming semifinal against either Jannik Sinner or Alex de Minaur. While acknowledging that the latter statement might hold some truth, he emphasized that such remarks should not come from someone he does not know.
The American tennis star pointed out that this trend of disrespectful commentary is not isolated to his experiences. He recalled a similar situation involving Learner Tien after his match against Daniil Medvedev, describing the post-match interview as “embarrassing and disrespectful.” Shelton urged broadcasters to collaborate in fostering a more respectful environment, noting that such comments detract from the sport’s growth. As he prepares to face Sinner in the semifinals, Shelton hopes for a more positive atmosphere surrounding the tournament.
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