American tennis star Ben Shelton puts Australian Open TV interviewers on blast over treatment of players
American tennis star Ben Shelton made headlines at the Australian Open on Tuesday when he called out TV interviewers for their treatment of players during post-match interviews. Shelton, fresh off a hard-fought victory over Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals, expressed his concern about the line that has been crossed in recent interviews.
The controversy surrounding player interviews at the Australian Open intensified after Novak Djokovic refused to participate in an interview following comments made about him and his fan base. Shelton, 22, took the opportunity to address the issue during his press conference, pointing out that he has noticed a pattern of disrespectful behavior towards players by broadcasters.
“I’ve been a little shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters,” Shelton remarked. “I don’t think that guy who mocked Novak – I don’t think that was just a single event. I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself.”
Shelton specifically mentioned incidents that he found troubling, including an on-court interview after his fourth-round victory over French veteran Gael Monfils. During the interview, the interviewer, Roger Rasheed, made a comment about Monfils being “almost your dad,” to which Shelton responded by questioning if it was a racial joke, as both players are Black.
In another instance, Shelton recalled an interview after his quarterfinal match where the interviewer commented that he likely wouldn’t have many fans in his upcoming semifinal match against reigning champion Jannik Sinner. Shelton expressed his disappointment with the lack of respect shown towards players during these interviews.
“I just don’t think that comment [is] respectful from a guy I’ve never met before in my life,” Shelton stated. “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 just feel like there’s been a lot of negativity and I think that’s something that needs to change.”
The controversy surrounding player interviews at the Australian Open comes on the heels of Australian Channel 9 journalist Tony Jones’ derogatory remarks about Djokovic, which led to the Serbian player refusing to participate in an interview until he received an apology. The network issued a statement apologizing for any offense caused by the comments and reiterated its support for Djokovic’s Australian Open campaign.
As the tournament continues, it is clear that the issue of respect and professionalism in player interviews is one that will need to be addressed by broadcasters and tournament organizers moving forward. Shelton’s outspoken criticism serves as a reminder of the importance of treating athletes with the respect and dignity they deserve, both on and off the court.
