The ongoing Australian Open 2025 has been surrounded by controversies related to interviews and tennis shows conducted by broadcasters. One of the most high-profile incidents involved Novak Djokovic, who expressed his frustration with the event organizers. After defeating Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round, Djokovic controversially refused a courtside interview with tennis legend Jim Courier.

In his post-match press conference, Djokovic explained his actions, accusing Nine Network reporter Tony Jones of making offensive, racist remarks and demanding an apology. He revealed that his decision to skip the interview was tied to Nine Network being the official broadcaster of the Melbourne Grand Slam.

Now, American player Ben Shelton has joined the conversation, speaking out about the questions he has faced during post-match interviews in Melbourne. After defeating Gael Monfils in the fourth round, Shelton was asked if the Frenchman was old enough to be "his dad." Later, after his quarter-final win against Lorenzo Sonego, Shelton was asked about the likelihood of facing a crowd-less semi-final if he played against Alex de Minaur.

Responding to these questions, as well as an interview with Learner Tien after his win over Daniil Medvedev in the second round, Shelton said, "I’ve been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters."

“I don’t think the incident with Novak was isolated. I’ve noticed it with different people, not just myself," Shelton continued. "I saw it with Learner Tien in his interview after beating Medvedev, which I found embarrassing and disrespectful.”

Shelton also shared his frustrations with comments made to him in post-match interviews, such as, “Hey, Monfils is old enough to be your dad. Maybe he is your dad,” and, "Hey, Ben, how does it feel that no matter who you play next, no one’s going to cheer for you?" He added, “While it may be true, I just don’t think the comment was respectful coming from someone I’ve never met.”

Shelton emphasized that broadcasters should support the growth of the sport and help athletes celebrate their victories on such a grand stage. "There’s just been a lot of negativity, and I think that needs to change," he concluded.

Shelton is now set to face World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals on Friday, while Novak Djokovic will meet Alexander Zverev in the other men's semi-final.

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