The chair umpires cannot fail to stay away from the limelight this season, can they? Over the course of this season, the umpiring decisions have been much talked about in the tennis world. Despite technology in place, there have been many debated decisions that have caused a lot of controversy. Earlier today, a similar incident took place at the Swiss Indoors in Basel. Ben Shelton was up against Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the round of 32 match in the ATP 500 tournament. However, a major umpiring blunder occurred during the match.

The first set was a neck-to-neck battle between the two stars. When Etcheverry was serving in the sixth game, an umpiring blunder changed the course of the set. The Argentine star was down 15-30 in that game when Shelton hit the ball long. However, the umpire thought the ball hit Etcheverry’s leg before it hit the ground. Subsequently, the umpire gifted the point to Shelton and it changed the momentum of the match, with Shelton winning the first set 6-3.

Further, Shelton carried on the momentum as he raced to a quick straight-set victory 6-3, 6-4. While the umpire blunder was a turning point in the match, Shelton’s opponent was visibly disappointed and took to social media to express his frustration at the incident. He said, “It’s incredible that they still don’t have a review @atptour.”

On the other hand, Shelton will look to end his season on a high by digging deep in the upcoming tournaments. He could possibly meet Rafael Nadal in a farewell showdown.

Ben Shelton out to challenge Rafael Nadal

Earlier this month, the Spanish legend announced that the Davis Cup Finals next month will be the last tournament of his professional tennis career. Nadal, along with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Pedro Martinez, will lead Spain’s charge at the tournament. Meanwhile, the United States will also feature in the showdown event, which will boast the likes of Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz. As a result, there is a high possibility that Shelton could lock horns with Nadal.

Talking about this, Shelton said, “If it’s our match, he ends up playing me, I’m gonna be so tight. The crowd, everything… No. This is my nightmare. I’m praying that it happens. I’m praying it doesn’t happen.”

Despite calling it a nightmare, it would be a dream come true for Shelton to defeat Nadal on his home soil. However, the United States and Spain are placed on the opposite halves of the draw and Shelton and Nadal could only face off in the finals. Interestingly, the duo has never played against each other and it would be an exciting clash to watch for the fans. Who do you think will win if Shelton and Nadal go up against each other next month? Let us know your views in the comments below.