"Critique this man for just about anything": Ben Shelton passionately celebrating sees heavy criticism as fans defend American

Fans rallied to defend Ben Shelton following criticism of his controversial celebration against Casper Ruud at the Mexican Open. The 21-year-old tennis player engaged in an electrifying quarterfinal, but ultimately, the Norwegian secured the victory with a 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-4 triumph in two and a half hours.

Young Shelton faced scrutiny for passionately celebrating a net cord that allowed him to save a set point against Ruud. Many tennis players and fans believe that such points should not be celebrated in this manner, as it may be deemed disrespectful to the opponent, considering the unpredictable nature of net play.

A user shared a clip of the incident and criticized Shelton for his behavior towards Ruud: "‘Ben Shelton is a good kid.’ Also, Ben Shelton celebrating a net cord point like he won a grand slam and proceeding to talk sh*t to the nicest guy on tour. Ben Shelton loses 7-6, 4-6, 4-6. Will he ever humble himself?" the user posted.

"Man this kid is SO unlikeable hahaha. Like even if he was best friends with Djokovic, he’d still be so cringe with this ugly attitude.. He’ll grow up I hope, just like Kyrgios did," other user wrote.

Most fans responded by defending Shelton, highlighting that his celebration came at a crucial moment in the match, saving a set point. Many argued that his exuberance was justified, especially considering it led to him winning the first set of the encounter, gaining an advantage over the former world No. 2.

Here are some fan reactions supporting Ben Shelton: