Ben Shelton reveals what happened in the gym with Wimbledon officials after his match vs Rinky Hijikata was suspended

Controversy struck on Thursday night when Ben Shelton prepared to serve for a place in the third round of Wimbledon.

Leading Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-2, 7-5, 5-4, Shelton was getting ready to serve out the match when the umpire chose to suspend proceedings as the light faded.

Both Shelton and Hijikata had asked officials to call off the match at various points in the third set, but were told to continue playing.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The decision to then suspend play with one player a game away from victory seemed ridiculous at the time, and even more so when play resumed on Friday, as Shelton won his final service game in 55 seconds.

Having secured his spot in the round of 32, Shelton revealed what was said between him and umpire Nacho Forcadell in the gym on Thursday night.

Ben Shelton spoke things through with the umpire in the gym and admits ‘maybe’ he should apologise

When Forcadell made the call to suspend the match, a frustrated Shelton approached the chair, as another Wimbledon official intervened.

During his post-match press conference, Shelton clarified that he wasn’t intending to ‘scare’ the umpire and admitted an apology could be in order.

“I don’t think I ever get disrespectful on the court. I try to get my point across. I saw a guy my size walking quickly towards the umpire,” he said.

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“Maybe he thought I was ready to throw hands but I definitely wasn’t.

“Maybe I should apologise to Nacho [Forcadell] if he felt scared up in the chair. But I wanted to get my point across, I think he was just trying to defuse and keep me away from Nacho.”

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Shelton then revealed what was said in the gym after Forcadell made the call to suspend his second-round match.

“But I got over it pretty quickly, and we talked in the gym after. I wanted to give them my thoughts on the situation, they gave me theirs on why everything happened, and it didn’t really escalate,” he said.

“It probably looked more tense than it was, the whole holding back and standing in front of me, but it wasn’t.”

The American wasn’t the only one frustrated with the decision, as his opponent, Hijikata, was just as upset.

Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images

“We spoke with Rinky [Hijikata] in the gym a bit last night, just our coaches, with their thoughts and how upset they were at the situation,” said Shelton.

“They both thought the match should have been stopped after the second set, or after the ball change at 3-2 or 4-2 if it had to be an even game.

“They were upset it had gotten to the point that it had gotten to, which I can’t blame them for. We were joking around about a few of the moments and the slips and falls, or the 5-3 game where I was returning 0-40, and I literally could not see the ball.

“Then, after the match today, Rinky was laughing about it. He was going on the doubles court like 15 minutes after our match, so that was funny.”

Heading over to Court Six, Hijikata and his doubles partner, David Pel, beat the American duo of James Tracy and Robert Cash 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 [13-11].

Ben Shelton gives his verdict on Wimbledon’s 11PM curfew

Asked about Wimbledon’s policy of suspending matches at 11PM, Shelton shared his honest opinion.

“It’s tradition. I understand. It’s also in a neighbourhood,” he said.

“If it was in my neighbourhood and they were playing until 2AM every night and going completely ballistic, I would be like I probably don’t want to live here. So I completely understand the curfew, for sure.”

The 22-year-old explained how the court conditions change on grass when the light fades.

“I think any time that it gets dark or the sun goes down and you don’t get the heat on the court it gets slippery and dangerous,” said Shelton.

“For me, the first problem was the slipperiness at the back of the court before the light, so you probably don’t need lights here.

“It’s a scheduling thing, but I have been here for five minutes, I don’t have the answers, I just do what they say and do my best to compete.”

Shelton will now try to put the drama of his second-round tie to the back of his mind as he prepares for his next match.

The world number ten will return to take on Marton Fucsovics on Saturday, July 5.

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