06 September 2023 , 13:00
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After reaching the US Open semi-finals for the first time Ben Shelton explained his post-match celebration.
The 20-year-old became the youngest American since Michael Chang in 1992 to reach the US Open semi-finals, where he will face Novak Djokovic. Following the biggest victory of his career the youngster, who turned professional just last year, made a gesture of speaking on the phone and then hanging up.
During his post-match conference, Shelton explained the celebration is in reference to his upbringing and being “locked in” as he bids for his maiden Grand Slam. “So our home phone, when I was growing up in Atlanta, was one like that,” the American said.
“If I wanted to talk to my friends or call their home phone, see if they wanted to go outside and throw a football, that was what I did. But for me it's kind of like I'm saying I'm dialed in. That's what it is for me.”
Another of Shelton's influences behind the celebration is track field star Grant Holloway. He is a three-time World Champion in the 110m hurdles and he has done the celebration after winning races. Furthermore, Shelton explained the celebration reminds him of his close friends back home in Florida.
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"The first time that I really saw it (the celebration) is, I'm really close friends with a lot of track and field athletes who train at the University of Florida where I live in Gainesville," he explained. “One in particular, Grant Holloway, who's won the World Championships I think three times in a row now, that's kind of his signature thing.
“He loves doing this when he wins, and a lot of other athletes on the team kind of started doing it after too. He just won the World Championships, so congrats to him. Give him a little shout-out when I do this. Something that connects me to my friends back home."
Ben Shelton made it to the semi-finals of the US Open and performed a viral celebration after his latest victory (Twitter@https://twitter.com/SkySportsTennis)Shelton, who is playing just his second US Open, will enter the top 20 for the first time following his run to the semi-finals in New York. He saved set points in the third set tiebreak against compatriot Francis Tiafoe following consecutive double faults.
He saved one of them with a thunderous forehand down the line, before clinching the set two points later. Shelton would dominate the fourth set and went on to clinch a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 victory over the tenth seed.
“Sometimes you have to shut off the brain, close the eyes and just swing,” Shelton said after securing the biggest win of his career so far. "Maybe there was a little bit of that down set point, but it ended up working out. I felt like I left it all out here tonight. It was an emotional battle.”
Shelton has reached his first Grand Slam semi-final and will face Novak Djokovic (COREY SIPKIN/AFP via Getty Images)Shelton will face the toughest test so far when he competes in his first Grand Slam semi-final against none other than Novak Djokovic. The Serbian has not lost to an American at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2016 and he is chasing a record-extending 24th major.
Knowing the vast majority of the crowd will be supporting home favourite Shelton, Djokovic plans to use that as added motivation to reach his 10th US Open final. “It’s expected that people are backing the home player,” he warned. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I actually like the energy. I’m fine with that. I actually thrive on that energy. Whatever the energy is, I use it as fuel."
He added: "I like the energy and the atmosphere on the court here. I thrive on that energy, whatever the energy is, use it as as fuel to try and play my best tennis. I have been playing on this court for so many years, so many epic matches. I can't wait for another one in a few days time."