US Open: Novak Djokovic secures his ticket to the final

Novak Djokovic defeated American teenager Ben Shelton in three sets 6-3 6-2 7-6(4) to reach the 10th US Open final of his career on Friday at Flushing Meadows.

the joker He achieved everything in two hours and 42 despite a large crowd in favor of his opponent. And when the score was 5-5 in the third set, the 36-year-old broke the powerful punch to be able to serve himself in the match. Tenacious, Shilton did not give up and forced a tiebreaker on the fourth break point available to him.

To the dismay of the American crowd, all good things must come to an end, and Djokovic came full circle with a 7-4 halftime victory.

“I knew I was going to face an American in the semi-finals, so I knew I had to be ready and focused because you would be high, not necessarily in my favour,” Djokovic joked after his victory.

With a win at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati just under three weeks ago, the world’s number two racket has yet to lose on US soil in 2023. He will meet the winner of the duel between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev later in the evening in what will be 36th Grand Slam final of his career.

“It’s the Grand Slam that motivates me to get up every morning and work hard like a youngster. I know my next match will be the toughest in the tournament, whether it’s against Carlos or Daniel.”

Thus, Djokovic, who missed the last edition of the US Open due to a vaccination condition, can avenge his defeat in the final against Daniil Medvedev in 2021. The last of his three titles in New York dates back to 2018.

As for Shelton, who will turn 21 in October, he will make a big leap from the current 47th place in the ATP rankings. To reach the semi-finals, the young American defeated compatriots Frances Tiafoe (10th) and Tommy Ball (14th).