Ben Shelton thinks broadcasters are disrespecting players at the Australian Open. He went out of his way to say so after blazing his way past Lorenzo Sonego and into the semi-finals. He said he was “a little bit shocked” at the treatment.

He said it wasn’t just Tony Jones’ mockery of fans of Novak Djokovic and the circus that followed. It was, for instance, an on-court question to his friend and compatriot, Learner Tien, after he had beaten Daniil Medvedev. It was a question to himself after he had beaten Gael Monfils, and another after he had beaten Sonego. It was … oh, that’s it?

Frankly, we’re shocked that he’s shocked. There are so many other questions that he could have been asked:

Are you wearing that shirt for a bet?

Why don’t you get a haircut?

Aren’t you playing tennis only because football didn’t work out?

Or this: What do you mean by disrespectful? The questions that have come your way and others’ sometimes have been a bit naff, or awkwardly phrased, or not nearly as funny as the questioner thought. But disrespectful?

Ben Shelton thinks broadcasters are disrespecting players at the Australian Open.Credit: AP

Try this one: Don’t you know that tennis players get the easiest ride from media of all sportspeople? Even........

© The Sydney Morning Herald