"I like my career" - Ben Shelton opts out of ATP idea of mic-ing up doubles players after Citi Open experiment

Modified Jul 30, 2024 15:17 GMT

Day Seven: The Championships - Wimbledon 2024 - Source: Getty

Ben Shelton has rejected the idea of being mic-ed while playing doubles at the Citi Open. This follows tournament director Mark Ein's recent announcement that players will be mic-ed during matches this week, with their audio going live to TV audiences.

The 21-year-old is participating in the tournament for the second time in his career. On Monday, Shelton partnered with Croatia's Ivan Dodig for the tournament but was defeated in the first round by Henry Patten and Harri Heliövaara, 6-3, 7-5.

Following the match, the American was asked by the press about the innovation. With a laugh, he rejected the idea of being mic-ed himself; however, he said that it was a good idea and would be cool and entertaining for the audience.

“I’m not getting mic-ed up, man!" he replied. “I think it’s really cool for a consumer. I think it’s a good idea. The guys who consent to it, I think there will be some funny stuff that comes out from that happening.”

Shelton also spoke further about being careful and his love for his career. He explained that he doesn't say crazy things on the court but doesn't rule out the possibility that anything can happen.

“For me, I like my career! I’m not saying that I say crazy stuff on the court. I can be a wild card at times. I don’t say things out loud, but when the mic is right there, anything can happen. I’m going to keep those thoughts and under-the-breath sayings to myself. I hope everyone who does it enjoys it and doesn’t say anything too bad,” Shelton said.

At the 2023 edition, Shelton faced an early exit when he was knocked out by Shang Juncheng in the second round. In the doubles category, he partnered with his compatriot Mackenzie McDonald, but the duo was defeated by Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the final.

Ben Shelton will face the winner between Facundo Díaz Acosta and Radu Albot in the second round

Day Six: The Championships - Wimbledon 2024 - Source: Getty

As the second seed at the 2024 Citi Open, Ben Shelton received a bye in the first round. The American will play against the winner of the match between Facundo Díaz Acosta and Radu Albot on Wednesday in the second round of the men's singles.

Ben Shelton has had an impressive 2024 season so far. He currently has a career-high ranking of No. 14 and recently won the second title of his career at the Houston Open. Shelton also reached the semifinals at the Dallas Open and the ASB Classic in Auckland. At the Wimbledon Championships, he surpassed his best record by reaching the fourth round.

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Joseph is a Tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over 4 years of experience in sports journalism. He holds a Law degree, but became a sports journalist out of his love for sports.

Joseph follows genuine pages on social media platforms, and verifies information via multiple sources to ensure accuracy in his articles. To stay up to date with the latest developments in the sport, he follows the WTA and ATP closely. His methods have helped him garner over 1.6 million views in just seven months at Sportskeeda.

He's a die-hard fan of Novak Djokovic, admiring not only his exceptional on-court skills, but also his off-court persona. For Joseph, the Serb is also the rightful recipient of the ‘GOAT’ tag and credits his achievement of 24 Grand Slam titles and reign of 422 weeks as World No.1.

The British culture and strict uniformity at the Wimbledon Championships make the event his favorite on the tennis calendar. Outside of tennis, Joseph passionately supports Manchester United and considers Lionel Messi the greatest sportsman of all time. In his leisure time, he enjoys expanding his horizons with documentaries, particularly those focusing on politics.

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Edited by Luke Koshi