The US Open, where tennis heroes rise and newcomers make their mark. Here, Novak Djokovic, a tennis legend, faced off against the young sensation Ben Shelton. It was a thrilling match, but it got even more interesting when Djokovic, now the US Open finalist, copied Shelton’s unique “hang up the phone” celebration after winning the semi-finals without dropping a set.

Shelton, however, had a response that was nothing short of epic, infusing sass and self-assuredness into a high-stakes match that had everyone talking.

Ben Shelton’s ‘flattery’ jab at Novak Djokovic’s ‘dialed in’ copy cat move

In the interview that followed the match, Shelton was asked about this incident. He talked about the incredible atmosphere in the closed-roof stadium and how the American crowd had really cheered him on. Shelton said, “You could see some of the momentum shifting in the third set when I got a couple of breaks. Fun to be a part of that match and obviously tough to not get that set at the end of the set, but yeah, the American crowd really brought it.”

When questioned about Djokovic’s imitation of his celebration, Shelton responded with a flair of sass, “You know, I don’t like when I’m on social media and I see people telling me how I can celebrate or can’t celebrate. You know, 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, so that’s all I have to say about that.” But where did this entire incident start?

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The crux of the ‘dialed in’ gesture incident

Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old tennis sensation backed by none other than Roger Federer, had introduced his distinctive celebration to the world during his quarter-final victory over fellow American Frances Tiafoe. It involved mimicking taking a call and then theatrically putting the handset down, symbolizing being “dialled in” to the game. However, when Djokovic executed the same gesture after Shelton’s final forehand hit the net, it was seen as a move to put the young contender back in his lane.

Shelton didn’t let Djokovic’s imitation slide and shot back with an intense “death stare” right after Djokovic’s imitation. In Shelton’s words, we see a mix of humility and self-assuredness. He didn’t let others’ opinions bother him, and he saw Djokovic’s imitation as a form of flattery.

As the US Open continues to showcase tennis talent and drama, Ben Shelton’s memorable response to Djokovic’s imitation will surely be remembered as a sassy moment of self-expression in the heat of competition.

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