"Helps me get out of bed and go to work every single day": Shelton sees positives in having social media trolls to drive him forward
ATP
American tennis star Ben Shelton has opened up about the influence of social media trolls on his personal and professional life, stating they motivate him to achieve his goals on a daily basis.
The 20-year old is coming off a four-set victory over compatriot Tommy Paul in the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, and by doing so became the youngest American man in over 20 years to reach the US Open quarterfinals (Roddick in 2002).
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Shelton not bothered by comments from trolls, claims they inspire him
In a post-match interview after his round of 16 win, Shelton admitted he was unfazed by comments criticizing his rise on the ATP Tour.
"I'm not a guy who gets frightened or scared by comments on social media," he said. "When people are saying negative things about me, that just drives me. It's not something that I ever worry about.
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"If I go to sleep at night thinking about it, it's more anger than me being sad. That helps me get out of bed and go to work every single day, work hard to get to where I want to be. I like seeing those comments sometimes or messages or doubters. I think that it's something that helps fuel me."
The World No.7 will face fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals, with the latter hoping to make a return to the semifinals after doing so last year.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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