Watch out! Ben Shelton’s playing style is often described as fiery, powerful, and aggressive, especially with his serve and groundstrokes. The 22-year-old has had an ascent as fiery as his famed 150 miles per hour serves. Considering his incredible power and precision behind his shots, tennis legend Mats Wilander once hailed him as an “extremely dangerous player.” Several players have time and again spoken about how it feels to be in the “firing line” of ‘Big Ben’. But this time, unfortunately, a fan was among the victims of his rocket serves!
Getting the best seat in the house can be troublesome, especially when you’re watching Ben Shelton live! Just a few hours ago, Shelton was taking on Canadian tennis star Gabriel Dialo in the R16 of the 2025 Citi Open. Although he won the match quite comfortably by 6-3,6-2, there was a moment in this match where the tennis world got a bit tense. On Thursday, during the match, just when Shelton was about to serve, chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote urged the spectators in the first row to be seated and be alert during the serves.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you are sitting in the first row, when the players are serving, please pay attention. The ball is coming really fast,” said the umpire. But shortly after this clear and loud message, Shelton fired an ace down the T, which curved and appeared to hit one of the spectator’s legs. The fan got a bit surprised seeing the speed and power behind the serve, and Ben Shelton didn’t waste much time issuing an apology, saying, “Sorry. Are you okay? My bad.”
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