Tennis star sparks backlash with comments about Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz recently won Wimbledon for the first time in his career
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Tennis star Chris Eubanks has been criticised after saying Carlos Alcaraz wouldn't want to face Ben Shelton.
A recent video published on social media showed the two Americans having a chat.
In the clip, Shelton said: "I want to be that dude in the draw that there's not one player who wants to see me.
"I'm not talking just doesn't [want to see my name], I'm talking scared of me."
Tennis star Christopher Eubanks has faced a backlash after Carlos Alcaraz comments
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And Eubanks then backed his compatriot, saying Alcaraz - despite his recent Wimbledon champion - wouldn't want to face off with Shelton.
"All right, next. Who wants to see you right now?" he said.
"Who wants to see you right now? Carlos Alcaraz does not want to see your name next to his. I can promise you that."
Eubanks obviously meant nothing sinister with his comments.
But the 27-year-old has inadvertently sparked a backlash, with fans on social media insisting he was wrong.
"You need a friend who is more delusional about you than you!" said one user.
"What the hell?! Lmao. Ok bro ok," said another.
"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL Eubanks needs to be for real," were the words of a third tennis fan.
"Do Americans eat delusion for breakfast or something," stated a fourth.
"Carlos is most def shaking in his boots playing Shelton who cannot return, doesn’t move well, can’t play long matches, lacks physicality, has an inconsistent backhand and has beaten world beaters such as Taro Daniel and JJ Wolf," said a fifth.
And another said: "How me and my besties feed each others delusions."
Eubanks was clearly trying to boost the confidence of Shelton.
But nobody looks likely to get near Alcaraz in the foreseeable future, with the Spaniard very much the man to beat.
The 20-year-old won the US Open last year, beating Casper Ruud in the final to reign supreme at Flushing Meadows.
And Alcaraz then followed that up with a terrific win over Djokovic at Wimbledon earlier this month, with that match lasting five hours.
The youngster will be hoping to win a third major when the US Open kicks off next month.
And tennis icon Jimmy Connors thinks the 20-year-old could end up winning as many as 15 Grand Slams by the time he retires.
“If he [Alcaraz] plays 12 more years, that’s 48 Grand Slams," he said on his podcast.
"If he doesn’t get too full of himself, I’d say [he could win] 15.
"That is if he doesn’t think he doesn’t have to work hard and it’ll come easy.
"He needs to continue what he’s doing and looks like he will."
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Carlos Alcaraz was too strong for Novak Djokovic in the recent Wimbledon final
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He continued: “There’ll be some young kids coming up now that will see him who are 17 or 18 who will believe that if he can do it, I can do it.
"He’s going to set the bench. It all depends on what comes behind him because he knows what’s in front of him. I don’t think he’s afraid of that."