The Laver Cup, known for its thrilling tennis showdowns, often brings moments that captivate fans both on and off the court. This year, while embracing his Laver Cup duties, Ben Shelton found himself at the center of attention, for doing his famous celebration on the red carpet. The tennis fans did not miss a chance to troll the American as they recalled the time when Ben Shelton’s father slammed Djokovic for doing the ‘hanging up the phone’ celebration against his son. Twitter was flooded with tweets and one such interesting tweet was of Shelton getting compared to Carlos Alcaraz.
During his semi-final run at the US Open, Ben Shelton brought out a new ‘hanging up the phone’ celebration to celebrate his victories. The celebration gained more popularity after Djokovic used it to mock Shelton after beating him in the semi-final and many other players have started doing it.
Ben Shelton brings out his celebration at the Laver Cup red carpet
As the Laver Cup rolled out its glamorous red carpet for the event, Ben Shelton seized the moment to unleash his signature celebration. A moment of enthusiasm, Shelton’s call celebration caught the eyes of fans and fellow players.
Fans didn’t hold back when reacting to Shelton’s red carpet performance. Some recalled the fiery interview in which Shelton’s father had criticized Novak Djokovic, creating a bit of a stir in the tennis world.
People were quick to criticize the American and even taunted Shelton with Djokovic tweets. Some fans felt that the 20-year-old was too arrogant and even compared him to the world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz.
While some fans felt Shelton was arrogant, others felt that the young man has every right to enjoy himself. The American has enjoyed a dream season and has been rewarded with a Laver Cup spot for team World.
Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton are miles apart when it comes to success on a tennis court. 2023 has been a breakout season for Ben Shelton while Alcaraz has already established himself as a star, winning multiple Grand Slam titles. The American still has a long way to go to reach the levels of Carlos Alcaraz.
Shelton celebration becomes a trend
What started as a quirky celebration after a huge win transcended into an entertaining trend within the tennis community. Players, caught up in the infectious spirit, began emulating Shelton’s celebration, turning it into a fun and unifying gesture.
While the celebration trend took off, it didn’t come without its share of criticism. Some argued that Shelton received an undue amount of scrutiny for a moment of youthful exuberance, emphasizing that tennis should embrace such displays of passion.
Novak Djokovic and Fabio Fognini were quick to use the Shelton celebration after winning their games. Fognini even used it to prove a point to the selectors after they dropped him from the Davis Cup team.
