Ben Shelton shockingly claims he didn’t really watch Novak Djokovic play on TV in his adult life moments after the Serb hit him with the ‘phone celebration at US Open

Ben Shelton was defeated by Novak Djokovic in three sets in the 2023 US Open semifinals.

Ben Shelton shockingly claims he didn’t really watch Novak Djokovic play on TV in his adult life moments after the Serb hit him with the ‘phone celebration at US Open

Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton (File Pic)

American teen tennis sensation Ben Shelton got to see the bitter side of playing at a Grand Slam as the 20-year-old was knocked out of the 2023 US Open after losing to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Shelton never looked comfortable against the 23-time Grand Slam winner as he lost the match in three sets. 

The 20-year-old also received some cold treatment from Djokovic as the Serbian hung up on Shelton after beating him. The youngster was clearly not pleased with this and it reflected in his reactions during the post-match press conference. 

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While Shelton gave a really mature answer when he was asked about Djokovic imitating his celebration, the American lost it a bit when a journalist asked about how different it felt playing Djokovic than watching him on TV. The 20-year-old said that he really never watched Djokovic play as an adult. 

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“I don’t know about different but I went into the game with an open mind. When I watched him on TV, I was a little kid and maybe wasn’t even playing tennis yet or was playing it for fun. I am a completely different person now than I was [back] then. So, I was not really expecting anything than what I watched on the tapes of his matches from a few days ago,” said Shelton. 

Also Read: What is Carlos Alcaraz without constant on-court coaching?

Ben Shelton improves massively on his US Open debut

Ben Shelton US Open
Ben Shelton (Image via Reuters)

Although Ben Shelton could not go all the way in his home Grand Slam, the 20-year-old improved massively on his debut at the tournament. While Shelton had to suffer a first-round exit at the 2022 US Open, the American teen sensation made it to the last four this time around. Known for his fierce serves, Ben Shelton defeated some top-ranked players on the tour en route to the semifinals.

While he defeated Dominic Them in the second round, Shelton eased past compatriot Tommy Paul in the pre-quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, the 20-year-old had to fight it out against Frances Tiafoe but he eventually prevailed in four sets. Shelton beat Tiafoe 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.

The youngster also grabbed attention with his unique celebration wherein he pretended to call someone. Shelton explained his celebration saying he just wanted to tell everyone that he was dialed in. It did not end very well though. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old will be hoping to come back strong in the next tournament he plays.

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