Ben Shelton has found himself at the center of a debate in the tennis community after his animated celebration at the Canadian Open stirred sharp criticism. The American is delivering a strong title defense at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montréal, having booked a spot in the quarterfinals.
How the Tennis World Reacted to Ben Shelton Facing Criticism for His Canadian Open Celebration
Shelton has yet to drop a set during his campaign at the Canadian Open, having cruised past Jenson Brooksby and Zizou Bergs before claiming a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over João Fonseca to advance to the final eight.
Shelton became embroiled in controversy after his fourth-round win when tennis journalist Tom Tebbutt criticized the American for his “finger to the ear” celebration, arguing that players shouldn’t “demand” louder applause.
“Ben Shelton’s ‘finger to the ear’ has gotten old quickly. Fine to raise your arms and ask for a crowd response. But not to demand louder applause. If so, then do the same ‘ear’ gesture when you dump a BH in net or club a FH six feet long. In that case the spectators can “BOO,”” Tebbutt posted.
Ben Shelton’s ‘finger to the ear’ has gotten old quickly. Fine to raise your arms and ask for a crowd response. But not to demand louder applause. If so, then do the same ‘ear’ gesture when you dump a BH in net or club a FH six feet long. In that case the spectators can “BOO.” pic.twitter.com/gHeROjBWni
— Tom Tebbutt (@tomtebbutt) August 10, 2026
However, many in the tennis community objected to Tebbutt’s complaints, with several fans questioning why Shelton was being singled out for criticism when players like Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have frequently used the same celebration.
“Other players, including Alcaraz and Novak do this too. why are you attributing it to Ben?” one fan questioned.
“There’s no shortage of players celebrating this way. Not sure why you’re singling Ben out here. If it helps to get the crowd more involved in cheering, bring it on lol,” another fan said.
One user even shared photos of Djokovic, Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and other players making the same gesture.
“Say that one more time, Tom,” the fan posted.
Say that one more time, Tom. https://t.co/GQXbGHnYHB pic.twitter.com/sdlIGbHAG8
— Kenisha (@heyitskenisha) August 10, 2026
Tennis journalists Max Kilham and Myles David also firmly pushed back against Tebbutt’s stance.
“I am a bit sick and tired of seeing this sort of rhetoric being constantly bandied about. Are tennis players not allowed to have any semblance of a personality?” Kilham wrote.
“This is what traditional tennis commentary looks and sounds like btw,” David wrote.
Amid the discourse, Ben Shelton will be focused on his highly anticipated quarterfinal showdown against Jakub Menšík at the Canadian Open. Menšík heads into the encounter with a 2-1 winning record against the American, including a 6-1, 6-4 victory in their most recent clash at the 2025 Madrid Open.
