Ben Shelton is making waves at the 2025 Australian Open. The 22-year-old American fired a joint-tournament fastest serve of 144 mph in his quarterfinal match, a 3-hour, 50-minute thriller against Lorenzo Sonego at Rod Laver Arena. Shelton emerged victorious with a scoreline of 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, marking his first semifinal appearance in Melbourne and his second overall, following the 2023 US Open. Did you know that this match was also Shelton’s first-ever outing on the iconic Rod Laver?

Shelton’s Australian Open journey hasn’t always been smooth. In the last two editions, he lost in the third round—falling to Alex Popyrin in 2023 and Adrian Mannarino in 2024. This year, however, he has pushed past those hurdles to deliver his deepest run in Melbourne.

Speaking about his debut performance on Rod Laver in the post-match press conference the American star said, “Last year, I didn’t hit a single ball on Rod Laver. I played a match on John Cain Arena and one on Kia Arena, but from the moment I arrived, I never practiced or played there. This year, I hadn’t hit a ball on it yet either. I think it affects you as much as you let it affect you. I don’t really care; it’s all the same. I’m sure that’s something that would upset some players or different people who like things a certain way.”

World No. 55 Lorenzo Sonego gave the World No.20 a tough test in the quarterfinal. Sonego employed an aggressive net game, coming forward 90 times and winning an impressive 67 points at the net. Despite the relentless pressure, Shelton held firm and showed his mental and physical stamina to reach the last four.

The match featured plenty of drama, including one of its standout moments in the second set. Facing a break point, Sonego pulled off a stunning diving drop volley that spun back onto his side of the net. A surprised Shelton smiled and offered a handshake as the crowd erupted in applause.

Next up for the 22-year-old is a massive challenge: a semifinal clash against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, scheduled for Friday, January 24. Despite Sinner’s 4-1 lead in their head-to-head record, Shelton is entering the match with confidence.

In his on-court interview after the quarterfinal, Shelton displayed his playful side: “You guys can boo me, you can throw stuff at me,” he joked. “I’m looking forward to it. I know I’ve got a few people out in the crowd who are going to pull for me too.”

But while Shelton is making strides on the court, he is also raising his voice off the court.

Ben Shelton calls out broadcasters’ ‘disrespectful’ behavior at the Australian Open

Off the court, Shelton didn’t hold back in voicing his concerns about the treatment of players by broadcasters. In the aforementioned press conference, he said, “One thing that I just want to say before we’re done. I’ve been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters. I don’t think that the guy who mocked Novak, I don’t think that was just a single event. I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself.”

The 22-year-old highlighted examples to support his point, “I noticed it with Learner Tien in one of his matches. I think when he beat [Daniil] Medvedev, his post-match interview, I thought it was kind of embarrassing and disrespectful, that interview.There are some comments that have been made to me in post-match interviews by a couple of different guys, whether it was, ‘Hey, Monfils is old enough to be your dad. Maybe he is your dad.’ Or 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?’”

Shelton emphasized the responsibility of broadcasters in promoting the sport and supporting athletes: “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,” he added.

For context, Novak Djokovic found himself at odds with Channel 9 and its presenter, Tony Jones. The tension arose when Jones made comments about Djokovic, singing phrases like “Novak, he’s overrated… Novak’s a has-been… Novak, kick him out,” which Djokovic and his supporters found offensive. 

In response, Djokovic declined to participate in the customary post-match interview following his fourth-round victory. He expressed his dissatisfaction, boycotting Channel 9 till they issued a public apology.

Acknowledging the situation, Tony Jones issued a public apology, clarifying that his remarks were intended as “banter” and “humor.”  Channel 9 also extended an apology to Djokovic. Following that, Tennis Australia released a statement indicating that Djokovic “acknowledges the apology has been given in public as requested and he is now focusing on his upcoming matches.“

On the court, Shelton’s remarkable journey in Melbourne now hinges on his semifinal against Sinner. Can the 22-year-old continue his stunning run and secure a spot in his first Grand Slam final? Share your thoughts in the comments below.