In his second round, Novak Djokovic had to “shush” the noisy crowd of Wimbledon to focus on his game. However, that is not the case of his last year’s U.S. Open’s semifinal rival Ben Shelton. This is because he has been accustomed to a raucous crowd since his college days! Therefore, when Shelton, with his usual high energy and aggressive playstyle, won his second-round match at Wimbledon, he revealed the one thing missing in his otherwise picture-perfect experience. It was nothing but a “college-like” experience after his win and he described why that must be the case.

Ben Shelton has comfortably surpassed his last year’s Wimbledon record this season, securing his place in the third round of the event. Therefore, a loud and huge celebration is a must, but maybe not on-court. Why? Well according to him the crowd is “too polite” for that. Appearing in a post-match conference after his victory over Lloyd Harris, the American tennis pro pointed at the absence of a “college-like” experience on the grass courts. It seems like, he is still not over his Florida Gators tennis moments after all!

“I think it’s a little bit too polite for it to be a college environment, a little bit too respectful. But the noise is definitely there. I think in college there is a little more screaming during the point. Some more name calling you know, things that you can’t speak about as much on live TV. I didn’t get that today, it’s mostly positive out there,” Ben Shelton laughingly told the Tennis Channel interviewers, a clip of which is released on YouTube.

But wait! He might not want the same experience he has had in college when he competed in Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Southeastern Conference. Although he has tasted the glory of victory after winning the National Championship and NCAA  Championship, the harsh taunts and comments Shelton had to go through during his college days were anything but easy. 

During his French Open tournament press conference, he said, “I mean I’m not going to say the things that the guys said to me but obviously the favorite topics when you’re playing college tennis – they’ll talk about your family, they’ll talk about your girlfriend and anything that you’ve ever posted on the internet.”  Luckily, he did not have to face that in his ATP tour but the even then, he might miss the other side of the story: the pure joy of celebration after a victory. 

Shelton might not get the same reaction from the audience but his loud screams after his first-round victory at Wimbledon fulfilled maybe a bit of that. Nevertheless, the 14th seed has never backed down from appreciating how playing for his college has given him an “incredible” experience!

Ben Shelton shows his gratitude to his college days in Florida

Only two years were left in his college life when Ben Shelton made the bold decision to drop out of the University of Florida. This is because his dreams lay ahead in the ATP tour. The ITA National Player of 2022 announced on his social media that he is now going to begin his professional career in tennis. Nevertheless, Shelton did not forget to show his gratitude for the two years that he played collegiate tennis!

“I want to thank the university of Florida for two incredible years. It has been a once in a lifetime experience to become part of the Florida Family and to compete for National Championships.”

The decision “wasn’t an easy” one, but on the other hand, he was “excited for the next chapter” in his career. Ben Shelton did not have to look back after that. With his unique styles on-court, he has won the hearts of millions, collecting praises from various fans and experts alike. Therefore, deep in his heart, he knows that even if the Wimbledon crowd does not celebrate his win in the “college-like” manner, they still love his game just as much!