US tennis star Ben Shelton launches astonishing rant and highlights major problem with Australian Open 2025

American tennis prima Ben Shelton lashed retired astatine 'disrespectful' comments from broadcasters and interviewers moving astatine the Australian Open successful an unprompted rant during his property league connected Wednesday. 

While Tony Jones' arguable comments astir Novak Djokovic person dominated headlines astir the satellite successful caller days, Shelton stated that helium was 'shocked' by the code of immoderate questions that person been posed to players during on-court interviews. 

The 22-year-old adjacent criticised 1 broadcaster for a question enactment to him pursuing his quarter-final triumph against Lorenzo Sonego connected Wednesday afternoon. He volition present look Jannik Sinner successful what volition beryllium his 2nd Grand Slam semi-final quality aft sealing a 7-5 6-4 7-6 (7-4) triumph against Sonego. 

Though delighted by the victory, the Atalanta-born tennis prima took a infinitesimal astatine the extremity of the property league to impulse broadcasters to alteration their enactment of questioning. 

'One happening that I conscionable privation to accidental earlier we're done,' Shelton began. 'I've been a small spot shocked this week with however players person been treated by the broadcasters.

He added: 'I consciousness similar broadcasters should beryllium helping america turn our athletics and assistance these athletes who conscionable won matches connected the biggest signifier bask 1 of their biggest moments. 

'I consciousness similar there's conscionable been a batch of negativity. I deliberation that's thing that needs to change.'

Jones was heavy criticised pursuing his comments successful which helium had claimed that Djokovic was a 'has-been' during a tv conception for Channel 9.

With a radical of Serbian fans arriving down him during the segment, Jones began to chant: 'Novak, he's overrated ... Novak's a has-been. Novak, footwear him out.'

Djokovic said the comments were 'insulting and offensive' and demanded a nationalist apology from the 63-year-old, with the broadcaster subsequently issuing an apology earlier this week to Nine's Today Show.

'I don't deliberation that the feline who mocked Novak, I don't deliberation that was conscionable a azygous event,' Shelton said, earlier reeling disconnected respective different instances wherever helium thought interviewers had overstepped the mark. 

He archetypal referred to a question chap American, Learner Tien, was asked pursuing his immense triumph against Daniil Medvedev earlier successful the week.

'I've noticed it with antithetic people, not conscionable myself,' the 22-year-old said.

'I noticed it with Learner Tien successful 1 of his matches. I deliberation erstwhile helium bushed Medvedev his post-match interview, I thought it was benignant of embarrassing and disrespectful.

'There are immoderate comments that person been made to maine successful post-match interviews by a mates of antithetic guys, whether it was: "Hey, Monfils is aged capable to beryllium your dad. Maybe helium is your dad".

'Or contiguous connected the court: "Hey, Ben, however does it consciousness that nary substance who you play successful your adjacent match, nary 1 is going to beryllium cheering for you?'

'I mean, [it] whitethorn beryllium true, but I conscionable don't deliberation the remark is respectful from a feline I've ne'er met earlier successful my life,' helium added.

Shelton had laughed disconnected the question but added: 'I cognize I've got a fewer radical successful the assemblage who are going to beryllium pulling for maine too.'

Despite that, the American spoke of his delight astatine reaching his second-ever Grand Slam semi-final.

He has besides had a agelong and gruelling roadworthy to the past 4 of the Australian Open, with Shelton being taken to the 4th acceptable successful 4 of the 5 matches he's played.

The satellite No 20 added that helium felt helium felt 'battle-tested' pursuing what's been an epic week.

'I was conscionable grinding retired there, trying to combat done it,' helium said.

'Yeah, I'm conscionable arrogant of myself to get through. 

'Definitely consciousness battle-tested and capable to get done successful four.'

He added: 'For maine it's truly peculiar to beryllium playing astatine these large tournaments and playing my champion tennis astatine the large tournaments.'