American tennis star Ben Shelton criticized TV interviewers at the Australian Open, saying they have crossed a line with their questioning and comments. Shelton, 22, spoke to the media after his quarterfinal victory over Lorenzo Sonego and expressed his frustration with the way players have been treated by broadcasters this week.
Shelton mentioned several incidents, including his on-court interview following his fourth-round victory over Gael Monfils, in which the interviewer made a comment about Monfils being “almost your dad,” noting that both players are Black. Shelton also referenced his post-match interview after his quarterfinal match, in which the interviewer commented that he likely wouldn’t have many fans in his semifinal match against reigning champ Jannik Sinner.
Shelton believes that broadcasters should be helping to grow the sport and celebrate the athletes’ achievements, rather than making negative comments. He said that he has noticed a pattern of behavior from the interviewers and thinks it’s something that needs to change.
Shelton’s comments come after Novak Djokovic refused to do an interview following comments made about him and his fan base by an Australian Channel 9 journalist, Tony Jones. Jones had called Djokovic “overrated” and “a has-been” while mocking Serbian fans.
