**Ben Shelton Faces Backlash from British Fans after Dismissing Full English Breakfast at Wimbledon**
American tennis star Ben Shelton has found himself at the centre of an unexpected controversy during this year’s Wimbledon Championships, after publicly criticising one of Britain’s most beloved culinary traditions. Shelton, who has been turning heads with his strong performances on the courts at SW19, is now attracting just as much attention for his candid comments off the grass.
The 21-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, stormed into the quarter-finals by overcoming opponents including Alex Bolt, Rinky Hijikata, Marton Fucsovics, and Lorenzo Sonego, joining the event’s biggest talking points. However, while Shelton’s formidable left-handed serve has earned him fans, his thoughts on British food – especially the traditional full English breakfast – have left many in the host nation aghast.
In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Shelton was invited to rate several ‘classic’ British experiences and foods. When asked about the iconic fry-up – typically a cherished mix of bacon, eggs, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, toast, and notably, baked beans – Shelton pulled no punches. “Zero, it’s terrible. Nah, English breakfast is garbage. Who puts beans in? What are we doing? It’s terrible,” he declared.
The remarks were swiftly met with a flood of reactions on social media. Many British fans took to online platforms to defend their national staple and, in some cases, express their hopes that Shelton’s Wimbledon run would come to an abrupt end. One commenter derided his view as “shambolic” and wished for an early tournament exit, while another took a swipe at American cuisine, remarking, “Anyone who comes from a country that has spray-on cheese shouldn’t be allowed to comment on food.”
Despite the backlash, Shelton’s views did strike a chord with some. A handful of social media users admitted to sharing his distaste for baked beans, with one suggesting, “He’s not wrong, is he? I would imagine being a young athlete he would avoid a fry up like the plague.” Others, meanwhile, used the opportunity to tout the virtues of the Scottish breakfast as a superior alternative, highlighting the lively regional debate surrounding breakfast preferences within the UK itself.
Shelton’s culinary opinions did not stop at breakfast. He was quick to praise British fish and chips, giving them a respectable 7.5 out of 10. Meanwhile, he rated a cup of British tea even higher, scoring it a 9 out of 10, a verdict likely to soften some hearts among the UK’s legion of tea-lovers.
However, it was not only the British diet that came under scrutiny. Shelton also delivered a withering assessment of England’s notoriously narrow roads, contrasting them sharply with the spacious highways found in the US. “I think this is the worst place to drive in the world,” he said, describing his bemusement at the practice of parking along streets already barely wide enough for a single car. “It takes like 35 minutes to go three miles,” he lamented, suggesting that London traffic had left a lasting impression.
As for the capital itself, Shelton gave London a solid 7 out of 10, admitting that his score would be higher were it not for what he sees as frustrating local driving conditions. “It would be like a nine or a 10 if it wasn’t for the driving,” he observed, hinting at an appreciation for much of the city beyond its infrastructural quirks.
Despite the off-court drama, Shelton continues to focus on his campaign for tennis glory. Set to face top seed Jannik Sinner in the last eight, assuming the Italian overcomes a recent elbow issue, Shelton remains a figure of intrigue both for his physical prowess and his forthright personality. Currently ranked world number 10, he is yet to capture a Grand Slam title, but there is little doubt that he has made a name for himself at Wimbledon – albeit for reasons both athletic and gastronomic.
As British fans mull over Shelton’s forthright opinions, the young American appears undeterred. And while his remarks may have ruffled feathers, there is no denying that he has injected fresh conversation and a touch of unpredictability into this year’s Championships, both on and off the court.