"Can't get Novak Djokovic out of his head" - Tennis fans buzz as Ben Shelton copies Serb sharing umbrella with ball kid at Shanghai Masters
There is a fresh chapter in the Novak Djokovic-Ben Shelton controversy that has raged since the 2023 US Open in September.
It all started when Djokovic caught everyone's attention by seemingly mocking Shelton with his own 'dialed in' celebration. The Serb made a phone-hanging gesture after knocking the American out in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.
This event sparked a lot of controversy and it seemed like Ben Shelton kept getting into trouble with the Serbian ace, as shown by his actions during his doubles match with partner Hubert Hurkacz at the 2023 Shanghai Masters.
The 21-year-old invited a ball kid to join him under his umbrella during his match with the Pole against the pair of Rinky Hijikata and Cameron Norrie, which they eventually lost with a score of 5-7, 7-5, 6-10.
Tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to point out that Shelton appeared to be copying Novak Djokovic's action from the 2014 French Open where the Serb, too, shared his umbrella with a ball boy under the same circumstances.
One user wrote:
"This guy can’t get Novak out of his head."
Another user posted:
"Now who is copying who?"
Another account tweeted:
"LOL he copied Novak."
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans to Ben Shelton copying Novak Djokovic:
Ben Shelton's father was not happy with Novak Djokovic seemingly mocking his son
Ben Shelton's father, Bryan, was not happy with Novak Djokovic seemingly mocking his son. He said it was 'too bad' that the behavior came from a 'great champion' like the 24-time Grand Slam winner.
"He wants to be loved so much, Novak. He wanted to mock Ben at the end. It wasn't something he was doing just to copy Ben. It was to mock him. And that's too bad, for that to come from such a great champion," he told GQ.
However, Ben Shelton himself took the situation lightly and had a very different reaction than his father.
"I think if you win the match, you deserve to do whatever you want. You know, as a kid growing up, I always learned that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," he said in a press conference during the 2023 US Open.
While Ben Shelton's doubles campaign at the ongoing Shanghai Masters did not go as expected, his hopes in the singles event remain alive. The American will face Jannik Sinner in the Round of 16 tomorrow (October 10).