“You don’t need to be swearing or breaking racquets,” Ben Shelton not a fan of on-court antics as the youngster remains focused on making a name for himself

Ben Shelton was recently featured in the prestigious American magazine, "GQ."

“You don’t need to be swearing or breaking racquets,” Ben Shelton not a fan of on-court antics as the youngster remains focused on making a name for himself

Ben Shelton (Image via: Sporting News)

American tennis professional Ben Shelton rose to fame with his debut at the US Open this year. The 20-year-old recently became the youngest American to reach the Men’s singles semis since Michael Chang in 1992. He lost the round to none other than this year’s Champ, Novak Djokovic, who added a 24th title to his Grand Slam collection with his latest win.

Shelton, who set the record for the fastest smash at the US Open recently, did a photo shoot with the American magazine, ‘GQ’. In his piece, the 20-year-old talked about his quarter-final match against Frances Tiafoe and the “phone celebration” that became a highlight in the second half of the tournament, especially after Novak Djokovic celebrated his win against Shelton the same way.

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Shelton revealed to the magazine that he does check his phone for social media updates from time to time and that doing so helps him play better. Speaking to GQ Sports, the American also disclosed that he was not a fan of breaking rackets on-court. “I’m not gonna lie, I check social media from time to time. I can use that for fuel, and it really helps me play much better with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. Every little thing that you do, even if it’s not out of control—you don’t need to be swearing or breaking racquets—is looked down upon in tennis,” he said.

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The American also talked about how he receives criticism online for the way he celebrates his win. Shelton revealed, “If I win a big point and I’m screaming… people will say something. ‘He celebrates too hard. He is out of control. Be humble“. Talking about his mental state during his semi-final clash with Novak, Shelton said that he was aware he might lose the match. He, however, wanted everyone present there to know that he was in the stadium to play and that he’d be back in the stadium again.

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Ben Shelton using social media negativity to fuel himself

Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton (Credits: Laver Cup)

With the constant attention on Ben Shelton after his deep run at the US Open and earlier at the Australian Open, he is always in discussions. Not only are the fans talking about it among themselves, but Shelton is checking what is being said about him. While some comments are positive and encourage him, some are also negative that he’s observing.

“I’m not gonna lie, I check social media from time to time. I can use that for fuel, and it really helps me play much better with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder,” said Shelton speaking with GQ.

Shelton is not the one to shy away from a fight. He showed off this skill during the US Open 2023 as well when he went up against Novak Djokovic. It was no surprise that he was not the favorite yet he fought his best. Djokovic’s prowess was no match for him however as Nole sent him packing in straight sets.

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