"Every little thing that you do, is looked down upon in tennis" - Ben Shelton on dealing with constant criticism for his on-court actions

Ben Shelton opened up about dealing with constant social media criticism concerning his on-court actions.

The American's dream run for his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open was recently thwarted by Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. In the highly anticipated match, the Serb overpowered the 20-year-old with a straight-set scoreline 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(4) on Saturday, September 9, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Despite enduring the loss, the reigning 2022 NCAA singles champion made a lasting impact at the hardcourt Major and with it, the ATP Tour. Moreover, Shelton's signature 'dialed in' celebration caught the attention of tennis fans, with some condemning and remarking his on-court actions to be cocky.

In an interview with GQ Sports, Ben Shelton addressed how he deals with negative remarks on the internet. The 20-year-old admitted that occasionally checking social media provokes him to strive for better results.

“I’m not gonna lie, I check social media from time to time. I can use that for fuel, and it really helps me play much better with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder," Shelton said.

The American further claimed that negative energy runs deep in the sport, due to people nagging about every single detail regardless of the player's on-court behavior.

"Every little thing that you do, even if it’s not out of control—you don’t need to be swearing or breaking racquets—is looked down upon in tennis," he said. "If I win a big point and I’m screaming… people will say something. ‘He celebrates too hard. He is out of control. Be humble.’”

Ben Shelton silenced trolls doubting his selection in the Laver Cup following US Open run

Ben Shelton at the 2023 US Open

Ben Shelton reserved some words for doubters who were wrong about his selection in this season's Laver Cup team.

During a post-match press conference following his exit from the New York Major, the American was asked to shed some light on his participation in the sixth edition of the Laver Cup. The 20-year-old stated that his selection was remarked by plenty of pushback from fans.

"Yeah, I'm really excited for the opportunity to play Laver Cup. You know, when the announcement first came out, I see all these comments on Instagram, Oh, oh, why did you take him? Why? Why this guy? There's so many higher-ranked guys," Ben Shelton said.

Shelton is set to represent John McEnroe's Team World in the 2023 Laver Cup which is scheduled to commence from September 22 to 24 in Vancouver. He will be joined by the likes of compatriots Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Fritz, as well as Argentine Francisco Cerundolo and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.