Ben Shelton demands immediate rule change minutes after losing US Open final

Ben Shelton urged tennis chiefs to introduce a new rule around the shot clock after losing to Alexander Zverev in the US Open final. The young American was beaten in four sets despite giving himself hope of a comeback by nicking the third, with Zverev cruising to a 6-3 7-6 5-7 6-2 triumph to prevail in New York for the very first time.

Afterwards, Shelton admitted that he was frustrated by the length of time Zverev took when serving. Under tennis rules, players have 25 seconds after the previous point in which they must start the next one. However, that rule only applies for the first serve, meaning players can take as long as they like when it comes to their second serve.

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Zverev received a number of time violation warnings in the latter rounds of the US Open, with the 29-year-old sparking frustration over how many times he bounced the ball before serving.

Shelton believes a shot clock should be implemented for the second serve as well as the first to avoid causing unnecessary delays on the court.

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Speaking in his press conference, he said: "I definitely think for a first serve, you should be able to do whatever you want, you know. You can use the full 25 seconds every time.

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"I think that there should be some sort of rule. I'm not sure exactly how you would do it, limiting time on second serve. You shouldn't have unlimited time.

"I think it's, for our sport, for the fans, I think it's tough to be sitting there that long for the next play, the next action to happen.

"I'm sure at some point it will be something that these tournaments look at just because there is such a delay in play, you know, in some matches."

At one point, Shelton was spoken to by the umpire because he wasn't getting into the ready position as Zverev started bouncing the ball to begin his service routine.

"I think there's not an athlete in the world that you're going to go look and watch them do their thing and they're going to sit in a ready position for 30 seconds before the play starts, so for me it's the same," he added.

"I'm not going to sit there in a ready position with my knees bent, tension in my body for 30 seconds while I'm waiting. I'm going to try to stay loose.

"You know, I'll let him do his thing when he's up there, but I'm not going to sit there, be locked in, focused, like I said, in a ready position for that long.

"[The umpire] was telling me I need to get to the line earlier, and I was like: 'He can start his routine whenever he wants. I promise you there will never be a time where he serves and I'm not ready'.

"But I shouldn't have to sit at the line, you know, if he's bouncing the ball 20 to 25 times, I shouldn't have to just sit there for that. He should be able to start it. He never does less than ten bounces.

"I'm always going to be ready when he's ready to serve. I think that that is a stupid rule that you got to be sitting there if it's a guy who has his routine. You know, as long as you're ready when he puts his hands together and starts bouncing the ball, that's what should matter."

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