Ben Shelton adds to Jessica Pegula's calls for including trash talk in tennis

American tennis star Ben Shelton has weighed in on the topic of trash talk in tennis, opining that it will ultimately be good for the sport.

Shelton responded to a tweet from compatriot Jessica Pegula, who had asked fans what they thought of introducing trash talk in tennis, which has not been the norm for so long.

"Thoughts on trash talk in tennis? Yay or nay?" Jessica Pegula wrote.

Shelton declared that he was personally on board with the idea, adding that it would add to the "atmosphere of college tennis."

“I’m in😏. Adds to the atmosphere of college tennis🔥” Ben Shelton wrote.

Discussions on trash-talk in tennis are ongoing, with opinions varying from player to player and level to level. While some embrace it as a part of the game, others believe it has no place in the sport.

Pegula herself is all for the inclusion of smack talk, remarking that it shouldn't be a big deal if a player wants to call their opponent out from across the court.

"In basketball, you can talk a lot of trash no one hears it. If you call someone out from across the tennis court, the whole crowd, the umpire, and Twitter is going to know. That's why when it's happened once or twice it's just such a big deal. I wish it wasn't like that," Pegula said.

Ben Shelton records first career-win on clay at Estoril Open

BNP Paribas Open - Day 6

Meanwhile, Ben Shelton made his red clay debut at this week's Millennium Estoril Open. Albeit nervous ahead of his match against Constant Lestienne, the American was able to secure a 7-5, 7-5 straight-sets victory over the Frenchman, recording his first ever win on the surface.

Shelton's impressive debut on red clay in Estoril continues, as he will now face Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem in the second round. Shelton, who is currently ranked 39th in the ATP rankings, has never played against the two-time French Open finalist before.

Dominic Thiem secured only his second win in ten matches this year at the Estoril Open, beating fellow Austrian Sebastian Ofner 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a hard-fought three-setter.

Ben Shelton, on the other hand, is 7-6 on the season now, with an impressive quarterfinal run at the Australian Open at the start of the year. The winner of the clash between Thiem and Shelton will take on either Roberto Bautista Agut or Quentin Halys in the quarterfinals.