‘He’s Pressed Right Now’ – Spirited ATP Star Ben Shelton Taunts Opponent as All-American Battle Heats Up Much to the Delight of Fans at US Open

The round of 16 at the US Open has started, and the action has been electrifying. Amidst the high-intensity moment, players often lose their cool. A similar incident was seen in Ben Shelton’s match against compatriot Tommy Paul. Shelton, who has been in a fine run of form in recent games, used his wits while he taunted Tommy as the match went on.

After comfortably winning the first set, 6-4, he had a comfortable lead in the second set. However, his trick was aimed at distracting his opponent while making full use of the opportunity to gather some extra points.

Ben Shelton taunts American rival Tommy Paul in a heated moment

During his round of 16 match at the US Open, Ben Shelton found himself, not only battling his American rival Tommy Paul on the court, but also engaging in a fierce mental battle. With a sly grin and determination, Shelton made a bold declaration to his corner, while aiming a dig at his rival.

With a sense of amusement, Shelton said, “He’s pressed right now. Brad’s telling him the wrong spots on the serve, I can tell.” The reference to Brad Stine, Paul’s coach, implied a subtle yet effective attempt to destabilize his opponent’s confidence. Shelton wasn’t merely criticizing Paul’s coach, Brad Stine; he was sending a message to his opponent.

By asserting that Paul was receiving incorrect guidance on Shelton’s service, he aimed to sow seeds of doubt in Paul’s mind. Shelton understood that tennis is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one.

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As the match unfolded, it became clear that Shelton was not just a master of the serve but also a shrewd manipulator of his opponent’s mental state. The subtext of his words was proof of the mind games that often play out on the grand stage of professional tennis.

However, this is not the first time that a player has used mind games to tackle his opponent. Tennis has seen multiple instances when the players have used different tactics to make sure they tilt the match in their favor.

Novak Djokovic used long toilet breaks during Wimbledon final

While playing against Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic went out for long toilet breaks to break the flow of the game. And, it eventually paid off for him as he managed to win the next set after the break. However, that was not useful for him in the long run, as he went on to lose the final set and the title against the 20-year-old Spaniard.

Do you think more players will follow suit and use such tactics to distract their opponents?