By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
The Happy Slam feels a bit like a Mockery Major for Ben Shelton.
The 22-year-old Shelton stopped Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) to charge into the Australian Open semifinals.
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At the end of his post-match presser, Shelton called out AO host broadcaster Channel 9 for what he believes is disrespect of players on air and in on-court interviews.
The 21st-seeded Shelton said he’s “been a little bit shocked” by a level of disdain he believes some interviewers have displayed to some players and blasted that coverage as “embarrassing.”
“I’ve been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters,” Shelton told the media in Melbourne. “I don’t think that the guy who mocked Novak, I don’t think that was just a single event.
“I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself. I noticed it with Learner Tien in one of his matches. I think when he beat Medvedev his post-match interview, I thought it was kind of embarrassing and disrespectful that interview.”
Following his fourth-round win over Jiri Lehecka, Djokovic spoke briefly to the crowd, but declined the mandatory on-court interview due to what he called “insulting” comments from Channel 9 host Tony Jones.
In his post-match presser afterward, the 37-year-old Serbian superstar said he blew off the on-court interview in protest of Channel 9 host Tony Jones mocking Serbian fans and insulting Djokovic himself as a “failure” and “overrated.”
Novak Djokovic explained in his press conference that he didn’t want to talk to host broadcaster Channel 9, probably because of what happened here two days ago. pic.twitter.com/YxZFu7MX9R
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 19, 2025
Jones’ comments were televised by host broadcaster Channel 9 while Serbian fans celebrated a Djokovic victory chanting “Nole! Nole!” while waving Serbian flags. Jones, apparently annoyed by the chanting Djokovic fans, mocked the crowd in a sing-song voice mimicking Serbian fans but saying “Novak, he’s overrated….Novak, he’s a has-been.”
An angry Djokovic called out Jones for making “a mockery fo Serbian fans” and for “insulting and offensive comments towards me.”
“Couple days ago the famous sports journalist who works for official broadcaster, Channel 9 here in Australia, made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me,” Djokovic told the media in Melbourne. “And since then, he chose not to issue any public apology. Neither did Channel 9. So since they’re official broadcasters, I chose not to give interviews for Channel 9.
“I have nothing against Jim Courier or neither the Australian public. It was a very awkward situation for me to face on the court today.
Ultimately, Jones issued an apology to Djokovic and the Grand Slam king gave an extensive on-court interview following his epic quarterfinal conquest of Carlos Alcaraz.
Pointing to Jones’ ridicule of Djokovic, questions 19-year-old American Learner Tien faced following his upset of three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and an interviewer jokingly asking if Gael Monfils was his father, Shelton said some questioners have crossed the line into almost deliberately antagonistic territory during this 2025 AO.
“There are some comments that have been made to me in post-match interviews by a couple of different guys, whether it was, Hey, Monfils is old enough to be your dad. Maybe he is your dad,” said Shelton, whose father, Bryan Shelton, is a former ATP pro, a two-time Newport champion and serves as his son’s coach. “Or today on the court, Hey, Ben, how does it feel that no matter who you play in your next match, no one is going to be cheering for you?
“I mean, may be true, but I just don’t think the comment is respectful from a guy I’ve never met before in my life.”
For years, players have endured some vicious insults, personal attacks, and, in extreme cases, even threats from disgruntled loser gamblers or misanthropic social media trolls in social media posts.
In recent months, more players have spoken out against main stream media and host broadcasters when they’ve felt commentators crossed the line into outright ridicule.
Wimbledon winner Barbora Krejcikova publicly criticized Tennis Channel’s Jon Wertheim after his mocking forehead comments during what he thought was a rehearsal made it to air and were posted on social media.
In that case, TC suspended Wertheim until the end of the year though some fans and commentators actually criticized both Krejickova, for calling out the mockery, and other media members for covering the controversy claiming pros should grow thicker skins, accept criticism as part of their jobs and get over it.
Some players say some Channel 9 commentators are making mocking and derisive comments then claiming they’re simply being “cheeky” or “snarky” to defuse backlash.
Shelton says there’s a big difference between criticism of a player performance and a personal attack.
Shelton, who drew criticism from some commentators, fans and fellow players, including Djokovic, for his famous “hang up” gesture during his inspired run to the 2023 US Open semifinals, said if we’re playing at the Happy Slam, why so much negativity from the host broadcaster?
Furthermore, Shelton suggests if you can’t trust the host broadcaster investing millions of dollars to televise the Australian Open to respect the players and by extension, the sport, then what does that say about the state of tennis promotion?
“I feel like broadcasters should be helping us grow our sport and help these athletes who just won matches on the biggest stage enjoy one of their biggest moments,” Shelton said. “I feel like there’s just been a lot of negativity. I think that’s something that needs to change.”
