Ben Shelton demands change to ‘stupid’ rule after Alexander Zverev’s controversial ball bouncing

Ben Shelton, a 23-year-old American tennis player, has called for a change to what he perceives as an "stupid" rule following Alexander Zverev's controversial ball-bouncing routine during their US Open final on Sunday. Zverev, the top seed, bounced the ball up to 25 times before hitting a serve, a ritual that has frustrated several competitors over the past fortnight.

The umpire instructed Shelton to stand on the baseline and be ready to receive, despite knowing the serve might not arrive for another 30 seconds. Shelton expressed his displeasure, stating that he does not intend to sit in a ready position for such a long duration while waiting for the ball to be served. He believes that there should be a rule limiting the time spent on second serve, but remains uncertain about the specifics of implementing such a rule.