Don’t worry Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials: 20-year-old Ben Shelton is just like us!
OK, only the special few around us have been blessed with his height (6-foot-4), Adonis-esque physique, pure athleticism, infectious smile and elite tennis skills—and all have been on display in spades as the University of Florida product has soared his way into the semifinals of the 2023 US Open. His latest victory, a four-set thriller over fellow American and 2022 US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday evening inside of Arthur Ashe Stadium, showcased his all-court game, from 140-mile-per-hour serves to deft slices and volleys, an exhibition that belies his inexperience as a professional.
More befitting of his youthfulness are his eye-catching on-court celebrations, especially the “phone-to-his-ear” hand gesture that’s producing thousands of clicks per hour on social media upon coming across such videos.
Immediately after clinching the victory against Tiafoe on match point, Shelton once again reached out and called someone, motioning to his ear with thumb and pinkie extended outward, as the Ashe Stadium crowd roared in delight.
But instead of just doing the phone gesture, he completed the routine by hanging up the phone, a slick move given the match has just ended.
His celebration was smooth. It was lit. It was…
…Wait a minute! He’s 20 years old. He's probably never used a home phone, let alone held a phone receiver in his hand, at any point in his life!
Turns out ...
“So our home phone, when I was growing up in Atlanta, was one like that,” a smiling Shelton said. “If I wanted to talk to my friends or call their home phone, see if they wanted to go outside and throw a football, that's what I did.”
See, fellow fossils. He’s just like us.
Shelton’s explanation of the origin of the “celly” (celebration, not cell phone), and also what it signifies, not only makes complete sense, but it also acts as an homage to another former Florida Gator, Grant Holloway, the Olympic silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles in the Tokyo and the three-time reigning world champion in the discipline after claiming gold last month in Budapest.
“For me, it's kind of like I'm saying I'm dialed in. That's what it is for me,” Shelton said. “The first time that I really saw it … I'm really close friends with a lot of track and field athletes who train at the University of Florida where I live in Gainesville.
"One in particular, Grant Holloway, who's won the world championships, I think, three times in a row now. That's kind of his signature thing. He loves doing this when he wins, and a lot of other athletes on the team kind of started doing it after too.
“[I’m giving] him a little shout-out when I do this,” Shelton continued. “Something that connects me to my friends back home.”
He’s also connecting with thousands of fans on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during this fortnight, and his exuberance on the court doesn’t only lead to making calls.
He and Taylor Townsend have teamed up in mixed doubles in Flushing Meadows and have advanced into the semifinals. The pair has been just as entertaining after match wins than the excitement they’ve provided during those contests, as the two have done the Bankhead Bounce dance maneuver and the “Night Night” sleeping gesture popularized by NBA superstar Stephen Curry during the Golden State Warriors run to their 2022 title.
Even during Tuesday’s physical matchup with Tiafoe, under brutally humid conditions, Shelton, with the help of his support group, continues to make sure his level of fun is on a par with the level of play that’s led him to become the youngest American US Open semifinalist on the men’s side since 1992.
“I'm definitely feeling joy at times during the match. I'd say a lot,” Shelton said. “When I look over at my box and see my friends and family over there, I get some smiles out of them or funny signals, you know, I enjoy that. I really enjoy the interaction with people when I'm on the court.”
Having fun. Chatting with friends. Making imaginary phone calls. Shelton is so much like the best of us, living life with a purpose while attempting to see the bright side of many situations. However, the next ping on his phone that he will have to answer on Friday in singles, may very well be a collect call.
Novak Djokovic on line 1.
