With social media, fans have an easy way of connecting with their favorite players from all across the world. Moreover, professional players also get a chance to meet and greet their die-hard fans. However, there is a negative side to this as well. There have been multiple times that players, at a professional level, have had to deal with negative comments and hatred. Talking about the same, Ben Shelton recently reflected on how he deals with negativity on social media.

Currently playing in the US Open and having secured his quarter-final berth, the young American looks to emulate the legendary Serena Williams when it comes to handling negativity.

Ben Shelton follows in Serena Williams’ footsteps and reveals how he deals with hatred and negativity

Ben Shelton, on his remarkable journey to the US Open quarterfinals, echoes the spirit of Serena Williams when it comes to dealing with online negativity. He calls social media ‘The Land of the Trolls,’ and like Serena, he thrives on the doubters and critics. Shelton doesn’t shy away from negative comments on social media. Instead, he uses them as motivation. When people doubt him, it’s like adding fuel to his fire. He doesn’t get discouraged or sad; he gets determined and fired up. These comments don’t make him soft; they make him work even harder.

“I’m not a guy who gets frightened or scared by comments on social media. I’m someone that when people are saying too many nice things about me, that’s when I get a little soft. But when people are saying negative things about me, that just drives me,” said Shelton in his on-court interview after the fourth-round victory. He further continued, “It’s not something that I ever worry about. If I go to sleep at night thinking about it, it’s more angry than me being sad. That helps me get out of bed and go to work every single day.”

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Similar to Serena Williams, who wants her naysayers to regret their words, Shelton embraces the challenge posed by people on the internet. He takes the negativity and turns it into a powerful driving force. Instead of crumbling under the weight of criticism, he rises above it, using it as a constant reminder of his goals and aspirations.

Serena reveals how she tackles negativity and hatred

In an interview that dates back to 2022, Serena Williams revealed the secrets of dealing with negativity and hatred. In the interview, she said that she has been facing that ever since she stepped on the tennis courts. However, she added that she has used it as a source of motivation rather than just letting it hurt her sentiments.

She further revealed that the initial years were difficult, as she would take into consideration what others said at every turn. However, as time passed, she gradually learned not to bother and always had an attitude of making others regret all the negativity they held for her.

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