‘Sportsmanship or Incredible Sh**housery?’ – Ben Shelton’s Gracious Shanghai Masters Act Faces a Plot Twist as Fans Question the American’s Ulterior Motive

Ben Shelton has come under fire by several tennis fans once again. During his clash in the Shanghai Masters, his opponent, Sebastian Korda, called for a challenge, but the chair umpire couldn’t hear his voice. Shelton stepped up and told the umpire that he heard it and to give him the challenge. Korda lost the challenge after it was given. It was a heartwarming gesture for most of the media, yet an evil move for some tennis fans. As the video of the interaction went viral, tennis fans chastised the world number 20 left and right.

Shelton was the center of the anger of the tennis community not long ago. A video of his heartfelt gesture with a ball girl went viral early in Shanghai, which also caused fans to lambast the player. 

Ben Shelton the center of fans’ annoyance once again

To most tennis fans, Shelton’s persistence to the chair umpire for Korda was a move of great sportsmanship as Shelton let his opponent challenge his serve. However, many tennis fans felt that there was evil intent behind his move. Was the 21-year-old playing a strategic chess move by wasting Korda’s challenge?

One fan said that the serve was in regardless, and Korda lost a challenge due to his American compatriot.

A user doubted the legitimacy of the move as Shelton’s persistence cost Korda a challenge. They further stated that it is a grey area rather than a clear sign of good sportsmanship.

Another fan stated that Shelton only did so because he wanted to see his opponent lose a challenge and become disadvantaged. 

One commentator agreed with the poster and said that it was not Shelton’s right to tell the umpire what to do. He further gave the example of the time when Rafael Nadal challenged his own serve when Novak Djokovic returned with a winner.

Another user felt that Shelton was just playing mind games with Korda.

One fan talked about tennis being a cutthroat sport, which also involves much trickery. They gave credit to Shelton for being a sharp-minded player but also said that the media would hound Djokovic if he did the same. 

Another user questioned the intention behind the move by questioning whether it was sportsmanship or trickery by forcing Korda to re-watch a serve that was in the bounds. 

Shelton’s image has been set in stone, and seemingly nothing can change the minds of those who dislike him. A similar situation was also seen earlier during the Shanghai Masters during his doubles bout.

Read More: Memorable Shanghai Masters Debut for Ben Shelton Comes with a Moment of ‘Worst’ Self-Assessment in a Long Exchange with the Umpire

Fans doubt Shelton’s generosity to ball kid

Earlier in the Shanghai Masters, Ben Shelton played doubles with Hubert Hurkacz. Rain disrupted their match, and the dup sat down for the weather to clear up. As they sat, two ball girls held up their umbrellas. Shelton asked the ball girl to sit next to him, and he held the umbrella for both of them, a gesture loved by the general media.

However, some tennis fans did not like the move at all. Djokovic once did the same during the 2014 French Open, and his fans derided Shelton, saying that he was only trying to copy the Djoker. Many commented that he was just trying to gain public favor through his gesture. His image has been solidified as the villain in the eyes of many, and as one can see from the current situation, they will not let it die down soon.

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