Why was the Wimbledon match involving Ben Shelton suspended? All you need to know about the controversial decision and backlash

Ben Shelton, the 22-year-old from the United States, was poised to win his second-round match against Rinky Hijikata of Australia on Thursday, July 3. Shelton, the 10th seed, was leading 6-2 7-5 5-4 in the match against the Australian when play was suspended because of bad light.

Shelton has not been in great form since reaching the Australian Open semifinal in January. The American is now kept waiting for another day and will have to play the remainder of the match on Friday.

Ben Shelton did not take the umpire’s decision happily

Shelton was visibly unhappy after the umpire decided to call off play for the day. Shelton was about to serve for the match, but had to stop because of the umpire’s decision. Play was suspended at 9:29 P.M. local time, with Shelton a game away from victory and a Place in the third round.

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Shelton was even more frustrated because, with the Sun going down gradually, the two players had made a suggestion to the umpire to stop the match. However, the umpire did not grant their wish at that point in time.

He was seen arguing with the umpire regarding the decision. His frustration was understandable, as he would have had Friday as a free day had he been able to finish the match on Thursday. What was more disappointing for the American was that he had three match points in the previous game only on Hijikata's serve, but failed to finish the match off.

Shelton later wrote on Instagram,

"They ain't wanna see anything else from me tonight but I'll see y'all tomorrow."

The tennis fraternity has reacted sharply to the umpire's decision

The crowd present in Court two was seen booing after the decision was made to call the match off for the day, chanting "one more game" repeatedly.

A number of people had angry reactions on social media as well, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their anger out. The fact that Shelton and Hijikata demanded the match to be suspended at the end of the second set, was highlighted by some.

Some other fans described the umpire's decision as the "worst ever".

Overall, the decision met with a lot of derision from the concerned player as well as the tennis lovers. The Court Two does not have floodlights installed in it, which must have influenced the umpire's decision. Still, the umpire probably could have waited for a few more minutes to allow Shelton's service game to end to avoid the controversy.

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About the author

Subhadeep Roy

Subhadeep, an adept tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, has been writing about the sport for seven years. He is known for his exclusive match reviews and opinion pieces, utilizing his MBA degree to tackle them effectively with his problem-solving abilities.

Subhadeep lives and breathes tennis. He watches matches regularly and engages in social media platforms to stay on top of the latest happenings. As a writer, he brings the fan's perspective to his pieces, ensuring his readers enjoy an exceptional experience every time.

Growing up, he idolized Boris Becker, but he now firmly believes Novak Djokovic stands alone as the 'Greatest of all Time', especially considering the 24-time Grand Slam champion's incredible stats. One thing that still puzzles Subhadeep, however, is how Becker's Wimbledon tally might have reached five if not for Pete Sampras.

Speaking of the All England Club, the British Major holds a special place in his heart as he admires its blend of tradition and grass-court excellence. When not working for Sportskeeda, Subhadeep delves into the other "love of his life": football, and enjoys contributing his insights to different websites dedicated to the sport.

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