'IT’S TENNIS, NOT BASEBALL': SHELTON AIMS DIG AT ITALIAN VETERAN DESPITE CAUSING CRACKED RIB

Ben Shelton shows Andrea Vavassori his own bruises post-match.

A tense moment occurred in a second-round doubles clash in Monte Carlo, with Ben Shelton mocking Italy's Andrea Vavassori for being "too soft".

An early exit from singles action saw Shelton turn his attention to doubles, partnering 45-year-old Rohan Bopanna as they faced Vavassori and Simone Bolelli, putting the Italian pair to the sword in a thrilling 10-point tiebreak.

Shop with a 15% storewide discount code: SERVE15 - excludes clearance items, machines, court equipment and gift cards at www.tennisdirect.com.au

Upon conclusion, Vavassori vented towards the chair umpire, arguing that one of Shelton's shots struck him too hard in the chest before the 22-year-old American responded by pulling his shirt up to show his opponent that he too was bruised and battered.

"It's tennis, not baseball. So, so soft," Shelton was heard saying.

Now, Shelton is portrayed as the villain, with Vavassori confirming he is forced to skip the Barcelona Open next week because of a cracked rib.

"Sadly I have to withdraw from Barcelona next week due [to] a rib injury [that] happened at the beginning of yesterday’s match. Exams showed a little infraction so have to stop playing for some days. See you in Madrid," he wrote on his social media accounts.

Shelton and Bopanna crashed out in the quarter-finals.

ASTE (Australian Synthetic Turf Enterprises) is Melbourne’s tennis court

construction specialists.

One game and you will know the difference.

Play on a court you’re proud of, play on an ASTE court.

Head to A-S-T-E.com.au to discover more.