Ben Shelton, a rising star in tennis, has expressed his desire to shift away from discussing Novak Djokovic and the controversy surrounding the Serbian’s replication of Shelton’s ‘phone down’ celebration. Shelton initially praised Djokovic for the imitation but altered his stance in a later interview with French news outlet L’Equipe ahead of his Australian Open title defense. Djokovic claimed he performed the celebration in response to Shelton’s perceived lack of proper behavior and respect on and off the court before their 2023 US Open clash, where Shelton reached his first Grand Slam semi-final against the World No. 1.
Following a victorious start in his Australian Open campaign against Roberto Bautista-Agut, Shelton, in his post-match press conference, expressed his reluctance to dwell further on the issue. He conveyed a desire to let the matter settle and focus on the current tournament in Australia, emphasizing that he enjoys being on the tennis court. Shelton concluded by stating that opinions about his character and behavior are subjective, and he is concentrating on the Australian Open with gratitude and enthusiasm.
