Ben Shelton is one of the rising stars of American men’s tennis. At only 20 years of age, Shelton is leaving a mark with the ball on the tennis court. And on his fans too, quite literally. In a hilarious compilation of clips, Ben can be seen accidentally hitting the cameraman and an elderly lady in the stands at Cincinnati Open.
The clips were compiled and shared by Tennis TV, a popular tennis channel on social media. They shared it with the caption, “Nobody Is Safe When Ben Shelton Is On Court ⚠️”
Both incidents took place during his clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas in Cincinnati in the second round. Shelton first struck a cameraman in the hand, who did not move from his position behind the camera at all. He then struck an elderly lady sitting by herself in the stands behind Tsitsipas.
Since this clip was shared, some fans have taken the opportunity to poke fun at the people involved. Fans referenced the popular pop culture comment that a cameraman always survives.
“I honestly thought that the cameraman always survives,” wrote a fan. Other fans dragged Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios into this. “’Bro if that was me I would have been defaulted’ – Kyrgios,” wrote another.
Novak Djokovic fans were not to be left behind, as they referenced the infamous incident that got him disqualified. The Serbian had accidentally hit a linesman with a ball, and he was subsequently disqualified from the US Open.
Ben Shelton sets his eye on the US Open
Ben Shelton is one of the fastest-rising tennis talents in the US. He turned pro just last year before the US Open. He is already being touted as a future Grand Slam title holder. This expectation will surely weigh heavy on his shoulders since no American male tennis player has won a Slam since Andy Roddick in 2003.
However, he does possess the qualities of a future star. He made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open this year. It is a remarkable feat because it was only his second major tournament.
🐊🎾Former Florida #Gators tennis star Ben Shelton has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open. #AO2023
He is still enrolled at UF pursuing his degree. This is his first time outside the United States.pic.twitter.com/bAeJQ7ZaPc
— OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news (@onlygators) January 23, 2023
He did decently at the Cincinnati Open this week. He went against his doubles partner Chris Eubanks in the first round and defeated him. Then he locked horns with Tsitsipas. It was a closely contested match. They went toe-to-toe in the match, with Stefanos emerging victorious by a small margin.
Shelton’s next challenge will be the US Open. He made his debut at the event last year but got eliminated by Nuno Borges in the first round itself.
Shelton has an opportunity to write his story at the Flushing Meadows this year. The left-handed player will hope to replicate the success he found at the Australian Open.
