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Ben Shelton’s first Grand Slam final was a disappointment. However, the American took the 2026 US Open with a talking point after a frustrating interaction with chair umpire Marijana Veljovic in his defeat to Alexander Zverev.
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Zverev won his second Grand Slam of the season with a 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 victory over Shelton. The German’s long service time, however, was a talking point, as Shelton later explained why he didn’t stay in his full receiving position while waiting for Zverev to serve.
What Did The Umpire Tell Ben Shelton?
After the game, Shelton spoke with Zverev about his approach to his rhythm. The American said he didn’t think it was fair for a player to be physically stressed while waiting for another player to finish a long routine.
“There’s not an athlete in the world that you’re going to go look and watch them do their thing and they’re going to sit in a ready position for 30 minutes — I mean 30 seconds — before the play starts,” Shelton said.
He added: “I’m not going to sit there in a ready position with my knees bent, tension in my body for 30 seconds while I’m waiting.”
Shelton then admitted that he had been told by Veljovic to get to the line earlier than Zverev’s serve.
“She was telling me I need to get to the line earlier,” Shelton said. “And I was like, he can start his routine whenever he wants. I promise you there will never be a time where he serves and I’m not ready.”
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Why Did Shelton Call It A ‘Stupid Rule’?
Zverev is known for his ability to repeatedly bounce the ball before serving, sometimes over 20 times. Shelton said there needs to be a difference between being prepared to receive and being in a crouch, tense position for a long time.
“If he’s bouncing the ball 20 to 25 times, I shouldn’t have to just sit there for that,” Shelton said. “He should be able to start it.”
The American was even more succinct when it came to the rule itself.
“I think that that is a stupid rule,” Shelton said.
Shelton’s frustration wasn’t necessarily aimed at Zverev himself. Rather, he challenged the rules for the receiver’s position as the server performs a lengthy routine.
Shelton added, “He never does less than 10 bounces,” before insisting that he would always be ready once Zverev actually began his service motion.
The controversy comes on top of a final that sparked a lot of discussion about Zverev’s slow serving and the rules of the pace of play.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 11:22 AM.