Dialed-in no more: Ben Shelton reveals story behind new 'all-business' celebration after Tokyo title

Ben Shelton has shed light on the new ‘it’s all business’ celebratory gesture he did after winning the 2023 Japan Open in Tokyo.

On Sunday, October 22, Ben Shelton lifted his maiden tour-level title at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo by defeating Russia’s Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the final. The American surprised the tennis world as he abandoned his ‘dialed-in’ celebration and marked the win with a new gesture.

In the press conference that followed, Shelton revealed the story behind it. He explained what the gesture meant and credited his compatriot and occasional doubles partner Mackenzie McDonald for suggesting the pantomime. The 21-year-old called it the ‘it’s all business’ celebration.

“You know, this week, one of my friends here, [Mackenzie McDonald] was telling me about… he was like, ‘Yeah man, if you win, you should do this celebration where you act like you’re fixing your tie on your suit and hold a briefcase like, ‘It’s all business.’ So, I kinda did that a little bit after I shook hands with the ref,” Ben Shelton explained.

The American promptly captioned his post-victory social media post – "All business this week."

Shelton also touched upon his ‘dialed-in’ celebration, which created a lot of buzz during the 2023 US Open when Novak Djokovic mocked him by replicating the gesture after his semi-final victory.

The Tokyo champion said that the phone-call gesture was dear to him and his friends back at home. The celebration was a tribute to hurdler and sprinter, Grant Holloway, a three-time world champion, who previously represented the Florida Gators, just like Shelton.

“I like to try to be original. I like to try to do different things on the court; be creative. That celebration was really cool and special for me because of what it meant to my friends back home,” he said, adding, “But yeah, I’m not really a guy who thinks about celebrations that I’m gonna do before I play. I think it’s like a spontaneous, in-the-moment thing.”

---

Ben Shelton set for blockbuster clash with Jannik Sinner in Vienna

Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton at the 2023 Shanghai Masters

Following his 2023 Japan Open victory, Ben Shelton will now compete at the Erste bank Open in Vienna. The World No. 15 has been drawn against Italian player Jannik Sinner in the opening round of the tournament. The two are scheduled to play on Wednesday, October 25.

This will be the second career clash in the their budding rivalry. They previously faced each other at the Shanghai Masters, where Shelton edged past Sinner with a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) comeback victory.

“I was really looking forward to this time of year. I haven't played many games. I feel fresh physically. Now looking forward to returning to Europe and finishing the indoor tour strong," Shelton said after his Tokyo win.