“She is the mother of a coward, a bunch of American trash…” Before the 2025 Paris Masters, Ben Shelton’s mother was chased away and cursed by Italian fans in France.
A shocking incident unfolded ahead of the 2025 Paris Masters, shaking the tennis world to its core. Ben Shelton’s mother, Lisa Shelton, became the unexpected target of an aggressive mob of Italian fans outside the Accor Arena. Witnesses described a scene of chaos as the crowd booed, shouted insults, and even blocked the entrance gate, preventing her from entering the venue. “She is the mother of a coward, a bunch of American trash!” several voices reportedly yelled, creating an atmosphere of hostility that no one anticipated.
The situation escalated rapidly. According to local reports, security personnel were initially slow to react as tensions grew between rival fan groups. What began as verbal harassment soon turned physical, with some fans pushing and surrounding Lisa Shelton. Panic spread as she fell to the ground, gasping for breath and calling for help. The shocking images, captured on mobile phones by onlookers, quickly went viral on social media, prompting outrage across the tennis community.
For nearly 30 minutes, the scene remained uncontrolled. Witnesses claim that police intervention came only after the situation turned violent. By that point, Ben Shelton, who was preparing for a training session, had already rushed to the site after hearing about the attack. In a display of raw emotion, the young American star pushed through the security line and confronted the group directly, pointing at them and shouting in anger: “You call this passion? This is hate!” His words echoed through the stunned crowd as silence briefly fell over the entrance area.
Moments later, officials from the Paris Masters and ATP security arrived on-site to de-escalate the situation. Tournament organizers immediately launched an investigation, calling the incident “an unacceptable act of violence that goes against the spirit of tennis.” The ATP condemned the attack in an official statement, pledging “strict disciplinary action” against those responsible and reaffirming its commitment to player and family safety.
As the footage continued to circulate online, fans and professional players worldwide expressed their support for the Shelton family. Several prominent athletes, including Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe, publicly criticized the lack of proper security measures and called for stronger protection for players’ relatives during major tournaments. “No one’s mother should be treated like that,” Gauff wrote on social media. “This goes beyond rivalry — it’s a matter of basic human respect.”
In an unprecedented move, the Paris Masters organizing committee later announced that all identified perpetrators would be banned indefinitely from attending ATP and WTA events held in France. The Italian Tennis Federation also released a statement condemning the behavior of its fans and promised to cooperate fully with the investigation.
Though physically unharmed after receiving medical attention, Lisa Shelton was reportedly shaken by the ordeal. Ben Shelton later expressed gratitude to those who supported his family, saying, “My mother raised me to stand tall — no hate will break us.”
This shocking event has ignited a larger conversation about fan conduct and safety in global tennis. While rivalries fuel the sport’s passion, moments like this remind everyone that boundaries must exist. The Paris Masters incident will likely go down as a turning point — a painful lesson about respect, responsibility, and the human side of competition.
