This year’s US Open has been a rollercoaster, not just for the action on the courts but for the buzz around the commentary box as well. Controversies have been brewing, and the latest to stir the pot is none other than John McEnroe. During the thrilling third-round clash between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, McEnroe made a remark that left everyone scratching their heads. As fans continue to dissect the bizarre take, it’s clear that the spotlight at this US Open extends far beyond the players themselves.

During the first set of the match, when Shelton was leading against Tiafoe 4-2, McEnroe shed light on the pride that late tennis player Arthur Ashe would be experiencing, looking at the match from his heavenly abode. Speaking in the commentary box, McEnroe said, “He is looking down going, Two African Americans going at it on my court.” Remember, the match between Shelton and Tiafoe is being played at Arthus Ashe’s eponymous stadium at Flushing Meadows. 

While McEnroe intended to make a positive remark, his statement did not depict complete facts. Ben Shelton hails from a ‘biracial background,’ as his father Bryan Shelton and his mother Lisa Witsken Shelton are both of American nationality. Besides, Tiafoe also has American citizenship, which made fans question McEnroe’s remarks.

McEnroe was actually in awe of how much progress Shelton and Tiafoe had made in their tennis careers to be taking on each other in the third round of a Grand Slam event in front of a packed home crowd. However, his remark triggered the discussion around the unnecessary infusion of race-related themes, even though he didn’t mean it that way. McEnroe’s remarks garnered criticism from some of the fans, who probably didn’t get the gist of the message. However, some other fans understood what the American legend was talking about.

As McEnroe is under the spotlight for his controversial remarks in the ongoing US Open, he is not the only commentator receiving criticism.

John McEnroe is not the only commentator at US Open to be in controversy

Apart from McEnroe, the former tennis pro Chris Evert is also facing criticism over her remarks at the US Open. Evert’s latest take on Karolina Muchova sparked an outrage. Speaking about Muchova after she advanced to the third round, Evert said, “She plays like a guy. She wants to play like a guy. The guys have bigger serves than the women, they have better volleys for the most part, and they move a little bit better.”

This drew Evert a lot of criticism, not only from tennis fans but also from players like Ons Jabuer who requested her to not stereotype players unnecessarily. “Muchova is an amazing talented player. She doesn’t have to be a guy to have great serve, volley, or movement. Can we please stop stereotyping based on gender?” the Tunisian wrote on her X account.

As the US Open unfolds further and approaches its business end, the commentators would surely want to avoid any further controversy now, with McEnroe and Evert under the spotlight.