In New York, Shelton's celebratory move of putting down an imaginary telephone has become a signature move, and his opponents have become familiar with it.
However, this time Djokovic imitated Shelton's celebration after defeating the 20-year-old in straight sets on his way to the US Open final.
Some people saw Djokovic's decision as potentially disrespectful towards his opponent, but the Serb has denied any ill-intentions. On the other hand, Kyrgios expressed his approval of Djokovic's imitation on social media. On X (formerly known as Twitter), the Australian wrote: "COLD" accompanied by six snow emojis.
Shelton himself was not aware of the mimicking that took place on the court, but he believes that Djokovic's celebration was good-natured and that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." The Australian tennis player stated, "I didn't see it until after the match. I don't appreciate it when I see people on social media trying to dictate how I should celebrate. If you win the match, you have every right to celebrate however you want. Growing up, I was taught that imitation is the highest form of flattery." Shelton's perspective aligns with the idea that Djokovic's imitation was not meant to disrespect him, but rather to pay tribute and acknowledge his original celebration move.
