Novak Djokovic is getting nearer to face Ben Shelton again at the Australian Open. The current winner, Novak Djokovic, got to the third round in the year’s first major competition. Last season, Djokovic beat Shelton in the US Open semi-finals to win his 24th grand slam victory. The talk, however, focused mainly on Djokovic copies Shelton’s post-match celebrations. Djokovic believed Shelton didn’t treat him with “respect,” and they may face off again at the Australian Open.
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In the next round, Djokovic will take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry, while Shelton, seeded 16th, will face Adrian Mannarino. If Shelton wins, he may meet Djokovic in a highly awaited fourth-round match on Sunday..
The beginning of their battle started at the US Open, where Shelton, a 20-year-old unseeded player, reached to the semi-finals with remarkable wins. His creative celebration, influenced by US track champion Grant Holloway, was fooling to answer a phone call to show complete focus. Before meeting Djokovic, Shelton claimed his goal to be “disruptive” and add a fresh spin to the game. After winning in straight sets, Djokovic copied Shelton’s celebration after winning match point.
Shelton responded to Djokovic’s mimicry with comedy, claiming that it is a kind of respect. He pointed out that winning allows players to celebrate anyhow they wish, and expressed excitement to play versus Djokovic again..
Djokovic initially praised Shelton’s celebrations, but afterwards admitted that his mimicry was in response to what he saw as Shelton’s “unsporting” behavior. In an interview with the French release L’Equipe, Djokovic accused Shelton of showing disrespect both on and off the court. As they reach the Australian Open, Djokovic and Shelton find themselves on an icy track. Shelton, upon arrival in Melbourne, expressed a wish to move on from the US Open incident and did not linger on Djokovic’s claimed comments. He opted to focus on the coming event, highlighting the necessity to let things settle and move on.