US Open 2023 / Semi-finals: Djokovic turns Shelton off to reach the final at Flushing Meadows
The Serb defeated the American in three sets (6-3, 6-2, 7-6).
On this Friday evening on Arthur Ashe Court, Novak Djokovic and Benjamin Shelton battled it out in a clash of generations for a place in the final of New York’s major tournament. The Serb, future world No.1, lived up to his billing as the great favorite, winning in three sets, 6-3 / 6-2 / 7-6, and 2 hours 40 minutes of play.
Tonight, Ben Shelton discovered the merciless law of the “Djoker”. The Serbian Novak Djokovic was tactically perfect in the first set, after a few well-balanced games, enabling him to largely neutralize the Shelton threat. Despite a few flashes of brilliance, enormous courage and determination, the 20-year-old American was clearly dominated for two and a half sets, in most areas of the game: intelligence, precision, control… But at the end of the third set, the 47th-ranked player in the world had his back against the wall after being broken, and managed to take the serve of Djokovic, who had made a few unforced errors. The American went on to win a set point on his opponent’s serve. A golden opportunity, perfectly saved by the Serb. Probably affected by this lost opportunity, Shelton once again conceded on his serve, but spurred on by the crowd, he broke again to take this set to the tiebreak. Djokovic mastered the tiebreak to win what was his 47th Grand Slam semi-final. By way of comparison, Shelton was playing his 44th pro match.
Novak hangs up the phone
And if the law of the “Djoker” is largely played out on the court, tonight it was doubly painful for the American, as the Serb amused himself by provoking the public and his opponent by repeating Shelton’s “telephone” celebration. A bit like a merciless antagonist far too strong and dream-breaker. One thing’s for sure, the Atlanta native didn’t like it and will surely be itching for revenge, as evidenced by the manly handshake and cold stare.
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10th US Open final
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic will play in his tenth final in Flushing Meadows, two years after losing to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. To win his fourth US Open, he will have to beat either Medvedev or Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
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