The US Open is off to a flying start, but it has also been mired in controversy since it began. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios recently slammed Alexander Bublik for his alleged ableist comment against Dominic Thiem. Thiem had easily defeated Bublik in the first round but the Kazakh had nasty words for his peer.
While Thiem looked to be cruising through the match, Bublik was having a hard time. His frustrations boiled over and he allegedly said, “I am f***ing sick of giving careers back to disabled people,” (via The Mirror).
Bublik has losses against Monfils, Wawrinka (twice) and now Thiem in 2023.
Tremendous lack of respect.https://t.co/9yCMubxFPA
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 28, 2023
Kyrgios, who has stirred controversies on social media, called out Bublik’s behavior. “This is low key horrible,” wrote Kyrgios on X (formerly known as Twitter).
This is low key horrible 🫤 https://t.co/wqNWtUG1su
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 28, 2023
Dominic Thiem won the title at the Flushing Meadows in 2020, but he has struggled since. Injuries had sidelined him for a long time and this was his first Grand Slam victory in two years.
He was asked about Bublik’s comment during the interview, which had drawn criticism from fans. Thiem sought clarification about the translation and then stated it is something that should not be said out of respect.
Dominic Thiem was asked about Bublik saying ‘I’m sick of giving careers back to disabled people’ during the match:
“I don’t know if the translation is right, you know. If it is, then it’s a tough saying. Something you shouldn’t say in general just out of respect. But maybe he… pic.twitter.com/DBfsVFymhq
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 28, 2023
This year, Bublik faced first-round defeats at three Grand Slams, barring only Wimbledon, where he got to round four. Thiem will face the rising teen star Ben Shelton in the next round.
Dominic Thiem vs. Ben Shelton match preview
Shelton will lock horns with Dominic Thiem, the former US Open champion. The anticipation around their clash is high and fans expect an absolute cracker of a match.
Dominic began the 2023 season on a poor note, losing nine out of 10 games on the tour. The Grand Slam champion even struggled to get back to his best during the clay swing. However, things are finally looking positive for Thiem.
Ben Shelton is playing his first, full tennis season this year. He began the year with a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open. Unfortunately, Shelton lost to his fellow countryman Tommy Paul.
So far, the duo have played against each other only once. Thiem defeated Shelton at the Estoril Open earlier this year and thus has a positive head-to-head against Shelton.
Dominic Thiem will be looking to extend his winning streak at the Flushing Meadows. However, Ben Shelton will not be an easy opponent to defeat.