Ben Shelton and Denis Shapovalov‘s Washington quarterfinals ended in controversy, stirring up a hornet’s nest. But now, days after the event that created chaos in the tennis world, the two players have come together again, this time with an unexpectedly happy vibe. Yonex, their shared sponsor, brought both tennis players together, showcasing a different side of their rivalry.

Ben Shelton, who is 21 years old, led the score during the second set tiebreak, which is when it all began. The Canadian lost his composure at this crucial moment and was hitting his racket on the ground out of frustration. Tension on the tennis court increased when the 25-year-old player was triggered by a spectator’s yell, resulting in an enraged reaction.

Both players were left perplexed and shocked by the sudden conclusion to their match as a result of Shapovalov’s disqualification for his aggressive behavior and heated dispute. However, after a few days, both of them were clicked together at the Yonex event.

Recently, the official Instagram handle of the multi-billion dollar company shared a video of an “autograph session,” where both players were sitting side by side as they signed balls and other goodies for their fans. Following that, in another story posted by tennis giant, Shelton and Shapovalov were seen enjoying their time with each other as they clicked selfies with friends together and made the most of the session.

Not only that, even when the Canadian tennis player broke his silence after the quarter-final defeat, he opened up about how his disqualification upset him not against his opponent, but against the ruling. Shapovalov stated, “As you can imagine it’s been an extremely stressful time for me. I continue to feel shocked and disappointed over the decision to disqualify me from my match against Ben in Washington. It was not fair to me, him or anyone that was there to watch the match.”

On the other hand, even after getting disqualified, the 25-year-old tennis player made an escape from the hefty fine, with his bag filled with his ranking points and prize money for making it to the Washington quarterfinals.

Denis Shapovalov retains his quarter-finals money and ranking points

Despite being disqualified, Shapovalov was still awarded prize money and ranking points for reaching the Washington quarterfinals. But he had to pay a hefty $36,000 fine, which he later criticized the Tour for, calling for a rule change. Along with that, Shapovalov got his quarterfinal amount and even got a raise in ranks, shocking the tennis world.

Despite leaving with less than half of the prize money that was initially offered, he unexpectedly experienced a huge ranking rise, moving up 33 ranks in this week’s rankings, currently sitting at 106. As Shelton prepared to serve for triple match point, an already-agitated Shapovalov got into an argument with a fan, setting off the drama.

While both players protested, the umpire stood firm. But it seems like Shelton and Shapovalov don’t have any bad blood between them. Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the recent unexpected reunion? Do let us know in the comment section below.