Tennis fan believes Ben Shelton's father being close to Federer has given a grudge against Djokovic after phone celebration seen as mocking
ATP
Tennis fans
reacted to the criticisms from Ben Shelton's father against Novak Djokovic for
his imitation at the US Open. One of the controversies of the recent US Open
occurred after the semifinal between Novak Djokovic and the young star Ben
Shelton, which ended in victory for the Serbian with a score of 6-3, 6-2,
7-6(4).
In previous
rounds at Flushing Meadows, Shelton celebrated his victories by making a phone
call gesture, something that Djokovic imitated when he defeated the American,
and many interpreted it as mocking his opponent. Bryan Shelton, Ben's father,
shared his opinion on what 'Nole' did in an interview with GQ:
"He
wants to be loved so much, Novak. He wanted to mock Ben at the end. It wasn't
something he was doing just to copy Ben. It was to mock him. And that's too
bad, for that to come from such a great champion," Bryan Shelton said.
Fans
reacted to the statements made by Ben Shelton's father and took to Twitter to
express their opinions, where one user suggested that the father might have a
close relationship with Roger Federer.
"Ben
is now the victim, of course. His father is closely related to Federer and
can't stand Djokovic, and that's how he raised his son. Ben should look up to
his peer Alcaraz who is Ben's complete opposite," the user wrote.
“Instead of
thinking about what djokovic should or shouldn’t have done maybe they should
ponder why so many people are finding his on court behavior so off putting that
even a legend would feel moved to put him in his place? I mean this is not
typical. He’s turning ppl off fast.”
Bryan
Shelton was a nobody. Now with this performance of his son he feels he’s got a
winner, dude first let the little brat win a 250 then talk big. What Novak did
was awesome. We need more characters in tennis not robots.
“The @usopen is
over. The phone business was in good fun. It‘s time for Ben to dig in an win
titles. He has made two excellent runs in the slams. If he or his dad keep
ruminating on that phone hang up, it’ll look like they are trying to hang on to
their 15 minutes.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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