WATCH: Ben Shelton Mocked By Opponent During Defeat In Acapulco
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Ben Shelton suffered a surprising defeat at the 2025 Mexican Open in Acapulco to David Goffin, and was also mocked by the experienced Belgian during the defeat.
34-year-old Goffin rolled back the years to win 7-6, 6-3 after an outstanding performance. Shelton could not live with his opponent's trademark baseline consistency and impressive returning as he succumbed to defeat.
The victory was even sweeter for Goffin after he became irritated by Shelton's behavior in the second set. Videos of the notable moment in Acapulco can be viewed at the end of the article.
With the score at 7-6, 1-1, 0-15, Goffin completely mishit a forehand into the air to make it 0-30. Shelton roared in delight after seeing his opponent making that mistake, leaving the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist unimpressed.
Goffin threw his arms into the air and shouted in Shelton's direction, showing frustration at what he felt was poor sportsmanship from this year's Australian Open semifinalist. However, he got his revenge after the next point.
Shelton hit a groundstroke into the net to make it 15-30. Goffin immediately shouted out with the same tone as Shelton did after the previous point, making a clear and visible point to the American and those watching the match.
But the experienced ATP star was not done there. He then shouted, "Come on," and smiled at his coaching team, enjoying making his feelings known during the heat of battle against Shelton.
Opinions will undoubtedly be split about whether Shelton's actions that left Goffin irate were unsportsmanlike. On one hand, he might have just been happy to go 30-0 up on return and leave himself with a chance of breaking.
However, Goffin, feeling like Shelton's shout was directly aimed at him, shanking his own shot, is understandable. As it turned out, Shelton might have been doing him a favor based on how he played throughout the rest of the contest.
This is not the first case of Shelton's behavior annoying other players. Novak Djokovic infamously mocked the 22-year-old's celebration after beating him at the 2023 US Open, feeling he had been disrespectful during the match.
Shelton is someone who naturally splits opinions. He undoubtedly possesses a unique personality that engages many, but the huge-serving ATP star has also been accused of arrogance and not being the best role model for young fans.
The American was not afraid to speak up for players at the 2025 Australian Open. He believed broadcasters were not treating the players properly during post-match interviews because of embarrassing and awkward questions.
Although losing to Goffin was disappointing, Shelton often plays his best tennis at the biggest tournaments and on his home soil. That means a great run for him at next week's 2025 Indian Wells Open is undoubtedly possible.
The high-profile tournament, sometimes referred to as the fifth Grand Slam, will have most of the top ATP and WTA stars competing. A notable exception is Jannik Sinner. The men's world No. 1 cannot play in any professional tournaments until May 4th, while he serves a suspension after a case settlement with WADA.
