Ben Shelton slams Australian Open broadcasters’ ’embarrassing and disrespectful’ interviews

MELBOURNE, Australia — Ben Shelton, the 22-year-old American who reached the semifinals of the Australian Open on Wednesday with a victory over Lorenzo Sonego, added his voice to the chorus of players who have criticized broadcasters and interviewers on the field in his post-match press conference.

“I was a little shocked this week by the way the players were treated by the broadcasters,” Shelton said.

It tops his list of complaints against Tony Jones, the Channel 9 sports presenter, who taunted Serbian fans, insulted Novak Djokovic and shouted “kick him out” on air. This was an apparent reference to Djokovic’s expulsion from Australia two years ago due to Covid-19 protocols.

Jones apologized on air, saying he had “crossed the line”, after Djokovic called his comments “insulting and offensive”. He had refused to participate in field interviews until he received an apology.

“I don’t think it was a single event,” Shelton said. “I’ve noticed it in different people, not just myself.”

He recalled American learner Tien’s field interview, a stilted 3 a.m. conversation in which an exhausted and dazed 19-year-old Tien became the object of mockery when two questions asked him left a little speechless after almost five hours of tennis in the middle of the competition. at night. He had just eliminated Daniil Medvedev, seeded n°5.

“Nineteen-year-olds aren’t supposed to be that good,” said interviewer John Fitzgerald. Then he asked Tien if he had ever heard of his next opponent, Corentin Moutet.

“I noticed it with Learner Tien during one of his matches,” Shelton said. “I think when he beat Medvedev, his post-match interview. I thought it was rather embarrassing and disrespectful.

Shelton then turned to his own experiences. After his fourth round victory over Gaël Monfils, the interviewer told Shelton that Monfils could be his father. Monfils is black, as is Shelton, who responded, “Is this a black joke?”

He later said that he did not think the interviewer had meant any malice in the comment, but that it still made him uncomfortable.

“There were comments made to me in post-match interviews by a few different guys. Today, on the field, “Hey, Ben, how does it feel to know that no matter who you face in your next match, no one will be cheering for you?”

“I mean, maybe that’s true, but I just don’t think the comment is respectful coming from a guy I’ve never met in my life.”

Shelton said he felt broadcasters and interviewers were not doing a good enough job promoting tennis.

“I think broadcasters should help us grow our sport and help these athletes who have just won matches on the biggest stage experience one of their biggest moments. I feel like there’s been a lot of negativity. I think this is something that needs to change.

Tennis Australia was not immediately able to respond to Shelton’s comments.

(Nick Denholm/Getty Images)