Ben Shelton and Flavio Cobolli have a tense exchange after 3 hr match

[JustMy2Cents]

Shelton won a tense match against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at the 2025 Canadian Open, reaching his 100th career ATP win. The match was a close one, ending 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1), with Shelton making a strong comeback in the final set tiebreak.

But what made headlines wasn’t just the win, it was a heated exchange at the net after the match.
Cobolli told Shelton, “You deserved this match, but it’s not always with you,” which led to a short but tense chat between the two players

https://twitter.com/x/status/1952184143204508098

https://twitter.com/x/status/1952191022399668370

Flavio Cobolli vs Ben Shelton - Short Highlights

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[Apun94]

Something happened in the heat of the moment, both talked it out after the match and have clearly moved on. No story here

 

[Razer]

They are of the same age, so heated exchanges can happen, nothing surprising about it.

This is far better than a clown like Rune running his mouth against a veteran Stanimal who is 18 years older to him, Wawrinka schooled Rune

 

[ChrisJR3264]

They are of the same age, so heated exchanges can happen, nothing surprising about it.

This is far better than a clown like Rune running his mouth against a veteran Stanimal who is 18 years older to him, Wawrinka schooled Rune

I watched that match with Stan and rune. I’m still wondering what rune did except beat him.
Roddick even said Stan can get spicy in close heated matches.

Also terrible comparison. Rune was 18 -19. These two are 21-22 years old. A few years brings more maturation.

 

[RF-18]

These 2 are also supposed friends yet it comes to this. There is one predominant factor when it comes to these situations: Shelton is always involved. With many different players.

 

[Razer]

I watched that match with Stan and rune. I’m still wondering what rune did except beat him.
Roddick even said Stan can get spicy in close heated matches.

Also terrible comparison. Rune was 18 -19. These two are 21-22 years old. A few years brings more maturation.

Rune is a complete loser with no future in Tennis. He will never achieve anything close to what Stan achieved. That guy Rune is done and dusted, he is never even reaching a slam final in his life, let alone win it. He will retire a complete mug.

 

[RF-18]

I watched that match with Stan and rune. I’m still wondering what rune did except beat him.
Roddick even said Stan can get spicy in close heated matches.

Also terrible comparison. Rune was 18 -19. These two are 21-22 years old. A few years brings more maturation.

Stan has always been a bit of a turd. He is also one of those players who has been involved in many altercations or exchange of words with players just like Shelton.

 

[a10best]

Previous Tournament USO 24'.



This tournament

Shelton revealed that they had discussed it further in the locker room and that all was now well between himself and Cobolli.
They're still friends and neither was hostile. Cobolli just explained it the Italian way.
~ Not A Story.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

Rune is a complete loser with no future in Tennis. He will never achieve anything close to what Stan achieved. That guy Rune is done and dusted, he is never even reaching a slam final in his life, let alone win it. He will retire a complete mug.

Those are some harsh words from a guy sitting on the couch.
You may be right. He may never reach a slam final or SF lol. With his talent, it will be a disappointing career if he fails to do so.

 

[sportsfan1]

What was Cobolli upset about?

Shelton though stayed calm in the exchanges shown.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

Shelton screaming and shouting in celebration whilst his opponent makes errors is peak collegiate tennis.

 

[Hitman]

These kind of spats do take place in the heat of the moment.

 

[nachoC]

What was Cobolli upset about?

Shelton though stayed calm in the exchanges shown.

shelton was upset about some gesture cobolli made after a shelton weird winner. i'd like to see the gesture on video but seems shelton took it personal and cobolli said it was just frustration about the point.

 

[Super Tennis Man Yes]

I was on my 13th beer last night when I watched the exchange at the net and didn't think much of it. Now, mostly sober at work, I still don't think much of it. Just the usual chirping. That's pro sports.

 

[Razer]

Those are some harsh words from a guy sitting on the couch.
You may be right. He may never reach a slam final or SF lol. With his talent, it will be a disappointing career if he fails to do so.

Of course I will sit on my couch and bash Rune because tennis players play for the audience and I too am the audience. The audience sitting on the couch and in the stadium directly or indirectly pay for the paychecks of these jokers. People like Rune actually even owe Sinner, Alcaraz, Federer, Nadal, Djoko type ATG Slam winners who bring the audience to the sport, otherwise he would not be paid a penny for hitting a tennis ball. So damn right, people sitting on the couch will bash this clown Rune for running his mouth vs Stan because that shows utter disrespect for a player who has won 3 slams and plenty of titles, a veteran of the sport. Rune will def win nothing, wait and watch, my prediction will come true, he is the next Tsitsipas in the making, maybe even worse because even Tsitsipas has won something.

 

[Nate7-5]

Imagine ON execs if they started fighting

 

[big ted]

What was Cobolli upset about?

Shelton though stayed calm in the exchanges shown.

shelton was upset about some gesture cobolli made after a shelton weird winner. i'd like to see the gesture on video but seems shelton took it personal and cobolli said it was just frustration about the point.

Shelton thought cobolli was mocking him from what i understand. kinda like how djokovic mocked Shelton… funny how neither Djokovic or cobolli fessed up to it lol

at the net i think conolli said something like “that wasn’t towards you..”

 

[RSJfan]

TTW runs on nothingburgers.

 

[Honza]

Is yelling "Lets go" or "Yes" when your opponent hits an error normal in todays tennis?
I still think Shelton doesnt behave the way you should.

 

[Winners or Errors]

Is yelling "Lets go" or "Yes" when your opponent hits an error normal in todays tennis?
I still think Shelton doesnt behave the way you should.

Well, Shelton viewed those as forced errors, I think… which would make it acceptable.

 

[MichaelNadal]

I was on my 13th beer last night when I watched the exchange at the net and didn't think much of it. Now, mostly sober at work, I still don't think much of it. Just the usual chirping. That's pro sports.

This

 

[helterskelter]

They are of the same age, so heated exchanges can happen, nothing surprising about it.

This is far better than a clown like Rune running his mouth against a veteran Stanimal who is 18 years older to him, Wawrinka schooled Rune

False. Cobolli is already 23, while Shelton is still 22. This age gap, which is about five months, might not seem important, but if you think that, you are forgetting how quickly tennis players AGE. At 22, while Shelton is of course past his very best, he is still just about in the tail end of his Prime. He is not in his Peak, of course. That ended long ago. But he is still Prime or at least Prime-ish. By contrast, Cobolli is OLD. His frustration at the match's end was because he had hoped to roll back the years one last time. Knowing his clock is rapidly running out, he didn't want to blow what could well be his last opportunity to go deep at a mid-level tournament.

 

[jm1972]

ESL strikes again... WT* did Cobolli mean???

 

[Dunlop300g]

Cobolli really took that loss pretty hard which is understandable ... and then he gave up his racquet to some little kid in the stands which I'm sure made him feel a bit better. I like how Ben handled it all. He was conciliatory without backing down which is often hard to balance in situations like this.

 

[Honza]

Well, Shelton viewed those as forced errors, I think… which would make it acceptable.

It doesnt matter how he views it, to make it accaptable. They were errors, where Cobolli had the initiative in the point and Shelton was running.
Maybe you can do a small hidden and silent fist pump, but screaming "lets go" in the tone of Sabalenka is disgusting.
I like how he fights, but his behavior is terrible.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Broccoli Ben FTW

 

[Cramerica]

I don't even get what kind of haiku spaghetti nonsense Cobolli was spewing.

 

[Gary Duane]

“You deserved this match, but it’s not always with you,”

What does that even mean???

 

[Soul_Evisceration]

It seems like Shelton was over the top with his celebrations and when Cobolli broke in the 3rd set, in the heat of the moment he did a Shelton parody wannabe celebration which Shelton didn't take it lightly.

Even though Cobolli was telling Shelton it wasn't directly at him (which I don't believe neither Shelton by the way), Shelton needed to tell him to be better in those situations but at the same time, he has to be better himself.

A little petty spat but nothing serious.

 

[TennisBro]

I don't even get what kind of haiku spaghetti nonsense Cobolli was spewing.

If the pro tennis player doesn't well speak English, such "nonsense" and "spewing" likely occurs and that especially under the pressure of having to communicate the feelings at the end of a long match. What happened could've just been the frustration or a real point from the long match that Cobolli was suggesting. I firstly thought Cobolli expressed dissatisfaction over some rallies and line calls that came towards the last part of the match with tough Shelton's behavior but then I also got confused for the Italian's hard to understand English language. I bet Sinner would've done better in all the areas and Shelton woudn't've been so happily shirtless there.

 

[Shaolin]

Ben is annoying. Wish Cobolli would have closed him out.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Impressive all round. Both guys cared a lot and were throwing everything at the match. they know each other well so probably know how to push each other's buttons a bit and that creates extra tension plus it was an extremely close coin flip match. The intensity spilled after match point but was still handled in a respectful way. sounds like the whole thing was over and done with by the time they had left the locker room.

Im a big fan of both players and honestly kind of like them both even more on the back of this.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Some of yall wanna hate Ben so bad lol

 

[Shaolin]

Some of yall wanna hate Ben so bad lol

I love how he plays and started off being a big fan. His personality is grating though and he’s worn me down. Lots of annoying and corny stuff like the phone slam bit.

I still prefer him to a lot of other players but I like Cobolli a lot more. Great shotmaking like Ben but without acting like a dork.

 

[jackson vile]

Is it just me or was there a loss of translation and also overreaction?

Ben won, he should have just moved on especially if they’re supposedly friends

And if something is really that pressing and that important, do it in private please

Keep it classy

 

[JustMy2Cents]

What does that even mean???

it's Itanglish...Flavio is probably thinking in Italian and doing his best to convey his feeling that his reaction should not concern Ben/was not meant to be insulting Ben

Some of yall wanna hate Ben so bad lol

I like Ben , I just wish he did not feel the need to be a drama queen.
in this instance, he need not have confronted flavio at the net. talk it over in the locker room.

not good optics in front of the crowd... it has been a long match and both of them know things can be done in the heat of the moment.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Lots of annoying and corny stuff like the phone slam bit.

he literally only did the phone bit twice in his career(both in 2023 - his first full year on tour). Weird how fixated so many on here are about that, its not like Hewitt and the Vicht gesture(I estimate he did that at least 100 times a year

Its interesting that fans seems to hate Ben more than other players do (he seems very well liked in the locker room - Sinneraz praise him etc. Always gets warm handshakes. And apparently Shelton and Cobolli are "friends." I really doubt there is any bad blood, they'll prob be practicing together in Cincy (really the entire tour today seems to have quite a lot of camaraderie compared to past eras - every year at IW, I see many top players practice with each other regularly. I pretty much never saw top players in 80s/90s practice with each other.

 

[MotorCityCobra]

I recall reading some American players were not thrilled with his antics when the phone thing happened. Haven’t heard anything negative since though. I’d say both the phone gesture and this situation with Cobolli aren’t bad enough to be held against him.

It’s a bit funny however that he can scream and emote all he wants but felt disrespected when his opponent made a swiping gesture out of frustration to mimic his FH. If that’s all Cobolli did then it’s an absolute nothing burger. Then after winning the match he wants an explanation/apology at the net from a man who lost a tense 3 set battle, wanting to be reassured that the gesture made in frustration was not directed at him personally.

I mean dude just enjoy the win, skip the drama, and perhaps let your opponent save face especially since you’re on somewhat friendly terms. A chat in the locker room would’ve been enough considering Cobolli’s offence.

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

Cobolli told Shelton, “You deserved this match, but it’s not always with you,”

Have no idea what this means. A compliment? An insult? Both?

I mean dude just enjoy the win, skip the drama, and perhaps let your opponent save face especially since you’re on somewhat friendly terms. A chat in the locker room would’ve been enough considering Cobolli’s offence.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=769629552312697

 

[Shaolin]

he literally only did the phone bit twice in his career(both in 2023 - his first full year on tour). Weird how fixated so many on here are about that, its not like Hewitt and the Vicht gesture(I estimate he did that at least 100 times a year

Its interesting that fans seems to hate Ben more than other players do (he seems very well liked in the locker room - Sinneraz praise him etc. Always gets warm handshakes. And apparently Shelton and Cobolli are "friends." I really doubt there is any bad blood, they'll prob be practicing together in Cincy (really the entire tour today seems to have quite a lot of camaraderie compared to past eras - every year at IW, I see many top players practice with each other regularly. I pretty much never saw top players in 80s/90s practice with each other.

No. He has done it a lot more. Quick google search shows multiple occasions.

People remember it because it's super annoying. Hewitt was annoying but this is another level.

 

[Arak]

I don’t know about Shelton but I can’t sympathise with a player that was caught doping.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Shelton is the softest man on the ATP, he's offended and "shocked" by the most minor things, including at the AO with the on-court interviews.
No surprise, American colleges today treat the students like babies, so no hope of an adult coming from that system...

 

[junior74]

Stan has always been a bit of a turd. He is also one of those players who has been involved in many altercations or exchange of words with players just like Shelton.

I can understand those lost slam finals can fuel a dislike, but I still think "a turd" is a stretch. Seems to be respected on the tour.

 

[Shaolin]

Shelton is the softest man on the ATP, he's offended and "shocked" by the most minor things, including at the AO with the on-court interviews.
No surprise, American colleges today treat the students like babies, so no hope of an adult coming from that system...

In his defense of Ben there, some of those on court interviews are unbelievably bad and cringe. They often have the dumbest person in the universe do the interview and they make ridiculous comments/questions that are not necessary and the player just wants to get off the court. They need to be abolished or done by people who played the game at least.

 

[dje31]

Arguing with the shirt off looks like an episode of "Cops," or 97% of vids on social media.

 

[heavyD]

The match itself was a really good one.

 

[Chopin]

Of course I will sit on my couch and bash Rune because tennis players play for the audience and I too am the audience. The audience sitting on the couch and in the stadium directly or indirectly pay for the paychecks of these jokers. People like Rune actually even owe Sinner, Alcaraz, Federer, Nadal, Djoko type ATG Slam winners who bring the audience to the sport, otherwise he would not be paid a penny for hitting a tennis ball. So damn right, people sitting on the couch will bash this clown Rune for running his mouth vs Stan because that shows utter disrespect for a player who has won 3 slams and plenty of titles, a veteran of the sport. Rune will def win nothing, wait and watch, my prediction will come true, he is the next Tsitsipas in the making, maybe even worse because even Tsitsipas has won something.

No need to disparage a player. No one is perfect as a teenager. He's definitely not a "loser." Posting that type of trash reflects poorly on you. I encourage you to reflect.

 

[Sudacafan]

Shelton screaming and shouting in celebration whilst his opponent makes errors is peak collegiate tennis.

Always this same issue with this brat.

 

[Sudacafan]

I was on my 13th beer last night when I watched the exchange at the net and didn't think much of it. Now, mostly sober at work, I still don't think much of it. Just the usual chirping. That's pro sports.

Kudos to you. Around my 13th beer I usually end up hating on one of the players I am watching.

 

[Sudacafan]

TTW runs on nothingburgers.

I am almost always disappointed.
I don’t know why I keep on coming here.