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Ben Shelton faced 23 Grand Slam title winner, Novak Djokovic, at the 2023 US Open for a semi-final round clash on Friday. The 20-year-old who is known for his swift service also holds the record for the fastest serve ever at the Flushing Meadows. After he lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals, Shelton spoke up on what the 36-year-old’s celebratory gesture means to him.
World No. 2 Djokovic beat his American opponent with ease, winning the semi-finals in straight sets. The Serb dominated the match and won all three sets. Though Shelton did not get even close to beating Djokovic in the first two sets, he gave the former champ a tough fight in the third one. Djokovic won the match scoring 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 against Shelton. What caught the attention of the fans post the match was Novak’s celebratory gesture.
The 36-year-old was seen copying Shelton’s post quarter-final round victory celebrations against Frances Tiafoe. He pretended to dial in on someone, which is similar to what Shelton did. To add his own flair, he proceeded to indicate ‘hanging up’ the call. This did not sit right with many tennis fans, as several deemed the Serb’s celebrations as cold.
Speaking to a press conference later, Shelton told the reporters, “I didn’t see it until after the match. I don’t like when I’m on social media and I see people telling me how I can or can’t celebrate. If you win the match you deserve to do whatever you want,” commenting on Djokovic copying his ‘phone celebration’. “As a kid growing up, I always learned that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” the 20-year-old added.
Related: “I copied him!” Novak Djokovic explains why he hit Ben Shelton with the ‘phone celebration’ that sparked a huge controversy in the tennis world
Ben Shelton’s record-breaking serves
Though Ben Shelton lost all three sets in his match against Novak Djokovic, he gave the Serb a tough fight in the third set. The American tennis player rose to fame this season of the Flushing Meadows after he defeated 14th seed, Tommy Paul, in a fourth round match. Shelton created history when he broke the record for the fastest serve at the Slam.
In his match against Paul, Shelton registered a 149mph serve, not once, but twice, setting a new high. He also became the only American to break it into the Top 4 this year.
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