Shelton has become the perfect representation of the kind of American youth that are so coddled and spoiled by their parents that they always manage to turn themselves into the victim, particularly in situations that are slightly unfavorable to them.
Notice how his father conveniently omits the fact that Shelton was trash talking Djokovic the whole match. Shelton mocked Djokovic on the court in ways the cameras didn’t even capture.
And that would’ve all been fine, because that’s what athletes do. So when Djokovic beat him in straight sets (the match wasn’t even close), he decided to return the favor. And Shelton couldn’t handle it. He pouted.
If Shelton and his daddy can’t take the heat, maybe they aren’t ready to compete with the big dogs yet. Instead of being grateful for the opportunity to have so much exposure and to have such a wonderful tournament, they have chosen to go on a tirade against Djokovic and position Shelton as some kind of little victim. It’s off putting and weak.
My family and I were thrilled for Shelton in the early stages of the tournament. I watched every second of his match against Tommy Paul. We were so excited to see a young American player doing so well. I cleared my schedule to watch him play Tiafoe. But if this is the PR strategy they’re taking on Shelton’s behalf, it’s only going to do him a disservice in the end. He’s becoming more unlikable by the minute.
Alcaraz has every reason to be as arrogant as Shelton is. He actually has the game, the experience, and the wins. And yet he still manages to be respectful and humble. Shelton could learn a thing or two from the Spaniard.
Ben Shelton’s father on Djokovic:
“He wants to be loved so much, Novak. 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”
Source: GQ Sports 🗣️
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