For tennis whiz kid Ben Shelton, the biggest match of his career to date is coming up: The 20-year-old has to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the US Open. Can the US boy also show his special celebration gesture against the Grand Slam record winner?
With his thumb and little finger spread, his hand placed over his mouth and ear, he demonstratively hangs up: Who did tennis youngster Ben Shelton want to talk to on the phone in the middle of the US Open court after he had just made it to the semi-finals? After the victory against Frances Tiafoe, the American gave information.
“To me it means I’m ‘dialed in,'” Shelton explained at the press conference. “I first saw the gesture with fellow track and field athletes who train at the University of Florida. One in particular, Grant Holloway (110-meter- Hurdler, editor’s note), who has now won the world championships three times in a row, likes to do that when he wins.”
Tennis superstar Djokovic is now waiting for Shelton
The video of Shelton’s celebration has since been widely circulated on the short message service X, formerly Twitter – puns included. “The semifinals are calling,” the organizers wrote in a post.
In the semifinals, none other than Novak Djokovic is waiting for the 47th place in the world rankings. For Ben Shelton it is the first semi-final at a Grand Slam tournament.
He won in four sets against Frances Tiafoe, the current number ten in the world, 6:2, 3:6, 7:6 and 6:2. “It was a tough match,” said the tennis professional, who started unseeded at the US Open: “I gave it my all, it was an emotional fight.” After 3:07 hours he converted his second match point.
His greatest success to date at a Grand Slam tournament was the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The American lost there this year in four sets against his compatriot Tommy Paul, who he beat in the round of 16 in New York.