"He literally hit that guy and celebrated like that" "Zero sportsmanship" - Tennis fans react to Ben Shelton's controversial shot at Citi Open

Tennis fans were less than impressed by Ben Shelton’s recent celebration during his doubles match at the 2023 Citi Open.

Shelton is currently contesting the ATP 500 event in Washington, D. C. The American tennis player is out of contention in the singles event but he is through to the semifinals in the doubles category with compatriot Mackenzie McDonald as his partner. They are now set up for a clash against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.

The American pair took on Juan Sebastian Cabal and Matthew Ebden in the quarterfinals on Thursday, August 3, following their opening-round victory over Tallon Griekspoor and Alexander Bublik.

The stadium was filled to capacity as fans flocked to cheer on their compatriots. The nail-biter saw Ben Shelton and Mackenzie McDonald eke out the win in the deciding tie break 6-4, 3-6, (10-8).

In the final moments of the match, Shelton and McDonald were engaged in a high-pressure rally on their opponents’ serve. The point concluded in favor of the Americans after the 2023 Australian Open quarterfinalist aimed his shot straight at Juan Sebastian Cabal.

It is worth noting that while such shots are legal, they are widely frowned upon. Shelton, however, was unapologetic about the move and instead celebrated it by engaging with the crowd and high-fiving a fan.

This did not sit well with the tennis fans on social media. They condemned the American’s move, with many calling the celebration “unsportsmanlike."

Ben Shelton's poor run of form continues ahead of the 2023 US Open

Ben Shelton, who won the 2022 NCAA Singles Championship, rose to prominence on the ATP tour at the 2022 Cincinnati Masters. The American defeated former World No. 2 Casper Ruud in the second round of the event.

Shelton made his top-200 debut and turned pro shortly after. He broke into the world’s top 100 by the end of the season, winning back-to-back Challenger title wins in Charlottesville and Knoxville.

The 20-year-old kicked off his 2023 season in stellar fashion, making his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal on debut at the Australian Open. He also earned a career-high ranking of World No. 35 in the following months.

Shelton, however, failed to recreate that success in the subsequent tournaments. The 20-year-old has accumulated a mere 10 wins this season, four of which have come at the Grand Slam Down Under. Meanwhile, the American’s losses have been piling up.

After a string of unimpressive results on clay as well as on grass, the World No. 43 hasn’t found much respite in the ongoing North American hardcourt swing either. Ben Shelton faced back-to-back losses to China’s Juncheng Shang at the Atlanta Open and the ongoing Citi Open, taking his tally of defeats to 18.

He will now look to make a mark during the upcoming Masters 1000s in Toronto and Cincinnati in the lead-up to the US Open.

About the author

Pranjali is a tennis journalist and content specialist at Sportskeeda, having been with the company for almost two years. With a Master's degree, she proudly embraces her inner "data nerd" and uses her expertise to analyze the stats that make tennis more exciting.

She keeps a tab on the players' press conferences and interviews to ensure she is up to date with the latest in the world of tennis. Pranjali has garnered over 10 million reads across her 1500+ articles and is the author of Sportskeeda's most-read tennis article to date.

While her childhood idol is Rafael Nadal, Pranjali acknowledges Novak Djokovic's supremacy as the GOAT when it comes to numbers and admires Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff for their diverse playing styles. When she is not deep in the tennis world, Pranjali unwinds with dancing, painting, and fashion, and also likes solving puzzles, quizzes, and complex math problems to keep her mind sharp.

Know More