"Players pay prices" - Alexander Bublik and others fume over umpire's controversial decision in Ben Shelton's favor at Queen's Club Championships

Tennis players, including Alexander Bublik, were less than impressed with Ben Shelton scoring a controversial point during his 2023 Queen’s Club Championships match against J. J. Wolf.

Shelton won his first career grasscourt match in the opening round of the Queen’s Club Championships on Monday, June 19. After two successful tie-breaks, the player got the better of fellow American J. J. Wolf 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2).

However, in the final moments of the match, Shelton was embroiled in controversy after he produced a volley with irregular contact, which he believed was a fair shot, but his opponent argued over its credibility. The chair umpire sided with Ben Shelton and he was eventually granted the debatable point.

A video of the incident was later posted on social media, seemingly confirming the 20-year-old’s double hit. Tennis players, including Alexander Bublik and Rohan Bopanna, were left fuming and blasted the chair umpire for the incorrect call.

Bopanna argued that Shelton’s racquet did not touch the ball in one continuous motion and thus the point should have been given to J. J. Wolf.

“Another terrible judgement call by the umpire. This was not at all in any angle one swing. The point should have gone to @jjwolf5” he wrote.

Of late, there have been numerous instances where the chair umpires have made the wrong call. Recently, during the French Open match between Holger Rune and Francisco Cerundolo, the chair umpire failed to notice a double bounce and Rune was wrongly awarded the point.

Alexander Bublik pointed out that such incorrect calls by the chair umpires ruin players’ chances of victory.

“And players pay prices because of this beautiful umpiring,” he wrote sarcastically.

J. J. Wolf’s sister Danielle, who herself is a former collegiate tennis player, called out Ben Shelton for his seeming dishonesty and stated that her brother would have reacted differently.

“Hahaha that’s insane. @jjwolf5 would’ve called on himself lol,” she wrote.

After watching the replay on social media, J. J. Wolf too expressed his unhappiness with the umpire’s decision.

“@atptour would be real nice to have that one back,” the American wrote.

"His potential is limitless" – Ben Shelton's father Bryan on his quick progress as a pro

Ben Shelton at the 2023 Queen's Club Championships

Ben Shelton is fairly new to the ATP tour, having turned pro just last year. The 20-year-old, however, has already accumulated enviable results on the circuit – his highlight being a quarterfinal appearance at the 2023 Australian Open.

The American hails from a tennis family, with his father Bryan Shelton being a two-time title winner on the ATP tour. Recently, Ben Shelton’s father stepped down from his role as a collegiate tennis coach to join his son on tour.

The former player discussed the youngster’s potential in a video shared by the Wimbledon official channel on Twitter. He expressed optimism about his son's future success despite his late arrival on the circuit.

"That's probably one of the most exciting parts of Ben. His potential is, in my opinion, limitless, because he hasn't really scratched the surface. He's so many hours shy of someone else his age that's playing at that level," Ben's father said.

"But where he lacks experience, he has just a passion and a desire and a work ethic and some other intangible things that have allowed him to start catching up," he added.

Ben Shelton has commenced his first-ever grasscourt campaign at the 2023 Queen’s Club Championships, and will be hoping to lift his maiden career title at the event. The player will face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the second round.