Tennis fans have been split as they reacted to American star Ben Shelton writing ‘USA till its backwards’ on a TV camera after winning his latest match at the Australian Open.
The 23-year-old had just beaten Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot in straight sets on Saturday when he, like just about every other winner at the tournament, was given a marker so he could write a message to fans.
Shelton’s choice of ‘USA till its backwards’ came after American stars Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Taylor Fritz were all asked how they feel about playing ‘under the American flag’ at a time of great political tension in the country.
The question – which was asked repeatedly by one reporter at the tournament – appeared to annoy the stars.
Anisimova brutally shot down the line of questioning in her post-match press conference on Thursday.
In recent months, a number of political issues in America have seeped into the sports world, with players, fans and coaches expressing their opinions.
Pictured: The moment Ben Shelton wrote ‘USA till its backwards’ on a TV camera after winning his latest match at the Australian Open
The American star’s message has caused confusion and division among tennis fans, with some seeing it as patriotic, and others believing he was criticising his country
At the start of January, the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother who was shot and killed by an ICE agent, ignited a furious response across the United States.
Shelton’s words – which came before the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis – kicked off a big debate online, with tennis fans offering different interpretations of the message’s meaning.
The majority believed he was expressing unwavering support for his country, while others saw just the opposite.
‘Till it’s backwards is basically just like saying “all day, every day, baby” or “till I’m blue in the face”. So he’s being patriotic,’ one wrote.
‘”Til its backwards” is just slang. He means that’s he’s supporting/representing his home country USA no matter what. Hope this helps for those that don’t understand!’ added a second.
‘Stand proud for your country Ben,’ another commenter said.
‘This is why we love him! Don’t bow to the woke, Ben!’ wrote another fan.
The phrase took on a very different meaning for some commenters, however.
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What does true patriotism mean in today’s divided America, especially for athletes on the world stage?
Shelton’s take came after several American stars were asked how they feel about playing ‘under the American flag’ at a time of great political tension in the country
The 23-year-old (pictured with his girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman) also divided fans with a political post during the last US presidential election
‘The only time I’ve seen this phrasing is when people say “Free someone until it’s backwards”. So, basically “Free USA until the USA is free” means he hopes for Freedom in the USA given all the chaos of today,’ one wrote.
‘The “till it’s backwards” is usually used when someone is calling for someone to be freed from prison. For instance “Free Bob till it’s backwards” means that they will say “free Bob” until “Bob’s free”,’ another commented.
According to Urban Dictionary, these commenters have the correct take on the meaning of ’till it’s backwards’.
Other tennis fans thought Shelton was referring to literally spelling ‘USA’ backwards so it means ‘American States United’.
Commenters who agreed that Shelton was expressing support for America also had very different takes on the situation.
‘ICE is going around killing citizens and he decides to sign this o the camera how dumb can one be,’ one wrote.
‘You can take pride in a flawed nation with the belief it will improve because we’ve done so time and time again. Hope this helps,’ another countered.
Shelton also raised eyebrows with a political social media post during the last American presidential election in November 2024.
He posted a photo of a sign reading ‘No matter who is president, Jesus is king’, with many taking it as a pro-Donald Trump statement and criticising him as a result.
Shelton also divided fans when he posed for a photo with entrepreneur and Republican politician Vivek Ramaswamy at the Cincinnati Open in August 2024.
When Anisimova was asked how she feels about playing for the Stars and Stripes, she replied, ‘I was born in America so I’m always proud to represent my country. A lot of us are doing really well.
‘It’s great to see a lot of great athletes on the women’s and men’s side.’
However, the reporter persisted. He added: ‘In the context of the last year of everything that’s been happening in the US, does that complicate that feeling at all?’
Anisimova, seemingly irked by the repeated line of questioning, bluntly replied: ‘I don’t think that’s relevant.’
