Christopher Eubanks jumps to Ben Shelton’s defense after being accused of TRASH TALKING Novak Djokovic during the US Open semi- finals
Christopher Eubanks vigorously defends Ben Shelton amid accusations of unsportsmanlike behavior.
Follow Us
Ben Shelton, Chris Eubanks and Novak Djokovic (Credits: US Open, Good Morning America and Reuters)
The Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic drama has taken a new turn, with tennis player Christopher Eubanks now coming to the young American’s aid. The entire controversy began when Djokovic copied Shelton’s celebration after his win in the US Open semi-finals against the latter.
Since then, fans of both sides have been hurling insults at each other, fighting over who is wrong and who is right. X user, Gina Bontempo, expressed her thoughts about Shelton’s behavior on the court.
Bontempo’s post chastised Shelton for portraying himself as a victim and called his sportsmanship into question. She further said that Shelton made ‘unnoticed’ trash talk in front of the cameras and that he reacted adversely when Djokovic defeated him in straight sets.
In response to her statements, Christopher Eubanks came to defend Shelton against the charges. Eubanks was surprised by the number of inconsistencies he found in Bontempo’s comments and called her out for making unsubstantiated assertions about Shelton’s upbringing and behavior.
He began his rebuttal by pointing out the lies in Bontempo’s tweet, specifically her claim that Shelton had been coddled by his parents. “You would think someone with such a large platform would understand how much power words have. If Ben’s style isn’t for you, that’s perfectly fine. But to go on to insinuate that he’s been coddled by his parents is absolutely laughable to anyone that has been around them,” said the American.
He concluded by saying, “If Ben’s style of play or demeanor on the court isn’t for you, that’s perfectly OK! Personal preference. But let’s not just go around making baseless claims about his upbringing, who he is as a person, and things you know nothing about.”
Eubanks challenges allegations on Shelton’s conducts
Eubanks refuted Bontempo’s claim that Shelton had engaged in off-camera trash talk. He sarcastically explained that trash talk is usually addressed towards the opponent and is audible to them. “Trash talk is usually directed at the opponent where they can hear it FYI,” he explained.
He further questioned Bontempo’s description of Bryan Shelton‘s statements as a “tirade‘. He defended Bryan, claiming that his remark was in response to a question and that calling it a diatribe was exaggerated. Recently, Bryan came to the support of his son and called out Djokovic as someone who tries too hard to be loved. He stated that following his victory, he mocked his son. He believes it is unfortunate that this behavior is coming from a champion of his quality, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles.
Eubanks closed his remark by advising people to accept personal preferences based on a player’s on-court style or temperament. As the social media backlash develops, it remains to be seen whether these charges will have any long-term influence on Ben Shelton’s developing tennis career.
In case you missed it:
- Rafael Nadal posts a heartfelt obituary for veteran Spanish sports journalist Pepe Domingo Castaño
- WATCH: Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa share an intimate moment at the Davis Cup
Stay Updated!
Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)