Before starting his Australian Open 2024 campaign against round-one opponent Dino Prižmić, Novak Djokovic reignited an old feud with rising American star Ben Shelton.
While talking with L’Équipe before he takes the court on January 14, Djokovic did not mince his words. The 10-time Australian Open champion called Shelton ‘unsportsmanlike’ and claimed that he was being disrespectful during the match and had made some statements before the match even started.
“It was a reaction against him; he did not behave properly, with respect, on court, and before the match. If anyone places himself in the unsportsmanlike ‘zone’, I react,” Novak Djokovic said.
For the unaware, Shelton and Djokovic had played a fiery match at the US Open last year that ended in Djokovic mocking the 20-year-old American.
Shelton, who was on a hot streak during the tournament, had beaten higher-ranked Tommy Paul and Francis Tiafoe during his run to the semifinals, where he faced Novak Djokovic. Prior to that match, Shelton had been doing his signature ‘dialed up’ celebration after winning every match.
The 24-time Grand Slam champ took offense to some of Shelton’s actions during the match and mocked his celebration after winning the match.
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