"Very insensitive thing to say about a Black woman";"Sounds misogynistic": Fans annoyed by Ben Shelton drawing "male player" parallel about Coco Gauff

Ben Shelton opining that Coco Gauff's athletic qualities are similar to those of a male athlete has not gone down well with several fans. Shelton's admission came at a press conference following his straight-set win over Dominic Thiem in the first round of the ongoing 2024 US Open.

The 21-year-old looked in command throughout his clash against the 2020 US Open champion, with his powerful serves and forehands proving too hot to handle for the Austrian. After his convincing 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win, the 21-year-old attended a post-match press conference, during which he was asked about his thoughts on why Coco Gauff was so loved.

The ATP World No. 13 opined that the name 'Coco' along with Gauff's passion for tennis are two of the reasons behind the popularity of the WTA World No. 3. Shelton also suggested that the reigning US Open women's singles champion's athleticism was on par with male players.

"I mean, I think first of all, the name is Coco, right? It's something that sticks in your mind. I mean, shout-out to Corey and Candi Gauff, because I think the name is half of it. It's a name that you remember. Then, yeah, she's charismatic, such a great athlete, so many qualities out there on the court that, you know, resemble a male player, the way that she moves, the way that she can defend," Ben Shelton said.

"You just see something from her that's special and different. Then obviously she plays with a lot of passion. You could tell that she cares out there. She's into it every time that she's on the court. I think that's something that the people love," he added.

While fans did not find fault with Ben Shelton over his opinions on Coco Gauff's name and her passion for tennis, they did not take kindly to him saying that the WTA World No. 3's athleticism was similar to male tennis players. Many criticized the World No. 13 for what they perceived as an "inappropriate thing to say about a black woman."

""Has so many qualities out there that resemble a male player” is a very insensitive thing to say about a black woman…," a fan wrote.

"Any woman really, idk why having "male" qualities would make a woman more loved, just sounds kinda misogynistic," commented another fan.

"Isn’t that also a massive shot at women in general saying that her resemble a male style makes her more loved in the first place," another chimed in.

There were others who suggested that Shelton shouldn't have said what he did about Coco Gauff because he himself represented the black community in tennis.

"And he’s black (lmfao) himself so he should know better! Just sad," wrote one fan.

"Extremely insensitive wtf this how yk he just don’t gaf nor does he think abt the s**t he says Bc why would you say that," another added.

"Insulting to women in general. As though we only exist within the context of men. Figures since he's a MAGA," yet another weighed in, taking a jibe at Shelton over his presumed political allegiance.

Sheltons spoke about his equation with Gauff in a candid revelation last year.

"Coco Gauff is a little sister to me" - Ben Shelton

Shelton's finest performance at a Major so far in his career came at last year's US Open, where he reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Shortly after his fine run to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, he sat down for an interview with GQ, where he briefly opened up about his relationship with Coco Gauff.

"So she messes with me sometimes, she’ll be like, 'Hey, what’s up, rookie? How’s the year going so far?' Coco is a little sister to me! She’s definitely one of the ones I’m talking about," Shelton told GQ.

The 21-year-old is slated to face veteran and former top 10 player Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round of the US Open. Whoever wins, will take on either 20th seed Frances Tiafoe or Alexander Shevchenko in the third round.

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff will lock horns against Tatjana Maria next, after beginning her title defense with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-0 win over Varvara Gracheva. If the American beats Maria, she will take on either 27th seed Elina Svitolina or Anhelina Kalinina in the third round of the US Open.