Ben Shelton earns Martina Navratilova's applause as he shows sportsmanship vs compatriot Sebastian Korda in Shanghai Masters QF
Ben Shelton earned appreciation from Martina Navratilova as he showed great camaraderie and sportsmanship against Sebastian Korda in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals.
The all-American clash didn't disappoint, as the duo put up a scintillating display of skill and potential, which eventually saw the 26th seed, Korda, prevail in two hours and 56 minutes 6-7(10), 6-2, 7-6(6). Apart from the talent on display, both players also shared great mutual respect between each other.
Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion, Martina Navratilova, took a moment to applaud the sportsmanship and attitude shown by both players, particularly Shelton, after the youngster allowed Korda to review a service call despite missing the deadline.
In the first-set tie-break, Shelton unleashed a formidable wide serve that evaded Korda's racket. In response, Korda decided to dispute the call, but the chair umpire initially denied his request. The 23-year-old requested to challenge again, but the official rejected his plea, saying:
"I didn't hear you. You have to make it loud or wave at me," Chair umpire said
Notably, the 21-year-old Shelton displayed sportsmanship by intervening on his opponent's behalf, approaching the chair umpire to allow Korda to challenge. The official then changed his decision and allowed the review (as seen in the video below).
"I saw him go like this. You can give him... I saw it, you can give him the challenge. He went like this (raised hand)," Shelton petitioned.
Tennis icon Martina Navratilova likes to share her views about the latest news in the world, both on and off the court. She recently expressed her views about the gruesome beheadings occurring in Kfar Aza amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
On Tuesday, October 10, charred remains of Israeli residents and Hamas assailants were discovered outside the scorched residences in the Israeli Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
In reaction to the reports of this heinous act, Navratilova vehemently denounced it, deeming it "atrocious beyond words" and an embodiment of pure evil.
"Omg…beyond despicable- just evil, EVIL…" Navratilova posted on X (formerly Twitter).
"So great to see 2 young Americans" - Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda's Shanghai Masters QF thriller earns praise from Andre Agassi's ex-coach
The 2023 Shanghai Masters witnessed a gripping quarterfinal showdown between Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda, earning accolades from Brad Gilbert, former coach of Andre Agassi.
Both players delivered on the big stage, engaging in a thrilling contest. Shelton secured the opening set after a tense tiebreak, but Korda staged a remarkable comeback to claim the next two sets and reached his first-ever Masters 1000 semifinal.
After the match, Brad Gilbert expressed his joy at the enthralling all-American clash and commended the outstanding performances of Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda
"What a match in Shanghai @RolexMasters so great 💭😃 to see 2 young Americans 🇺🇸 Kordaroy and Gimme Shelton," Brad Gilbert posted on X.
Both players also happen to be two of the youngest American players in the top 30. With the Tokyo Open, Swiss Indoors Basel, and Paris Masters on the cards, it'll be interesting to see if they're able to make a significant impact.