"Too bad, for that to come from such a great champion" - Ben Shelton's father Bryan on Novak Djokovic 'mocking' the American at US Open

Ben Shelton’s father Bryan was less than impressed by Novak Djokovic ‘mocking’ his son’s celebration following their 2023 US Open match.

Ben Shelton earned his best result yet at a Grand Slam by reaching the final four of the US Open. The American celebrated his wins with a distinctive gesture, which he later termed as “dialed-in.”

Shelton’s run at the Major was halted by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. What caught the world’s attention was the Serb’s imitation of American’s ‘dialed-in’ celebration following his victory. While the 36-year-old laughed it off by saying, "I just love Ben's celebration. I thought it was very original, and I copied him. I stole his celebration," the gesture was generally frowned upon.

In a recent interview with GQ, Ben Shelton’s father and coach, Bryan, too, voiced his displeasure about the incident. He slammed Djokovic for "mocking" his son, a behavior he believed didn't reflect well on the tennis legend.

“He wants to be loved so much, Novak…” Bryan Shelton said about Novak Djokovic, “He wanted to mock Ben at the end. It wasn't something he was doing just to copy Ben. It was to mock him. And that's too bad, for that to come from such a great champion.”

The 20-year-old, meanwhile, shared a more welcoming approach after his loss.

“I think if you win the match, you deserve to do whatever you want," Ben Shelton said in his US Open press conference. "You know, as a kid growing up, I always learned that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

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Ben Shelton's father Bryan: "Each loss only motivated him to work harder"

Ben Shelton leaving the court after semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic at the US Open

Ben Shelton’s 2023 US Open campaign may have come as a surprise to many, considering that the American hadn’t been able to string two wins together since his quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open in January.

Shelton's father thus commended him for learning from each defeat and working harder towards his goals.

“It’s how you take those experiences and learn from them. I think that he's done that so well. Each loss only motivated him to work harder and to reflect and examine the parts of his game that he has to continue to improve,” the tennis coach said as per GQ.

Bryan Shelton also admired his son’s off-court mannerism, which he believes is greater than any on-court success.

“They said that Ben takes the time to give to every single one of their staff members and people that work the event, the fans and the kids…. As a father, you appreciate that even more than the wins or success or anything else on the court. That's what matters most,” he said.