Elliot Benchetrit found himself in a social media frenzy of his own making involving a banana and the Australian Open that he had to clear up this week.
Benchetrit, a 21-year-old Frenchman, became the target of criticism when he was caught on video asking a ball girl to peel a banana for him during qualifying. The moment was heightened when John Blom, the chair umpire, reprimanded the player and told him the girl was “not your slave.”
Benchetrit’s hands were heavily bandaged due to blisters, hence his ask, so when the umpire told him to do it himself he used his teeth.