Novak Djokovic easily advanced to the US Open championship match with a commanding 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-4) victory over rising American star Ben Shelton.
Shelton, playing in his first ever grand slam semifinal, came out all guns blazing but was unable to lay much of a glove on the ever-impressive Djokovic.
The second-ranked player in the world dominated the match and maintained control against Shelton from beginning to end.
“I still find great motivation and inspiration from these types of matches and events,” stated Djokovic during his post-match interview.
“The major tournaments are the ones that inspire me to give my best performance and play at my highest level in tennis.”
Djokovic, the Serbian player, obtained his first break in the sixth game of the match. After taking a 4-2 lead in the first set, he continued to dominate and ultimately won it 6-3.
In the following set, Djokovic maintained his momentum and easily won 6-2, solidifying his dominance over the match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
No tennis player desires to be in the position of trailing two sets against Djokovic. Despite being behind, Shelton can take pride in his performance during the final set.
The 47th ranked player put in a lot of effort, making it challenging for Djokovic to reach the final. He even managed to break the serve of the 23-time grand slam champion twice in the final set, leading to a tiebreak.
In the end, Djokovic won the third set in a tiebreak and celebrated by copying his opponent’s trademark celebration. This involves pretending to hold a phone to his ear and then hanging it up, which is a signature move of Shelton’s wins during his US Open journey.
The victory also signifies that the Serbian currently holds a 30-1 record against opponents competing in their home major, following his elimination of the local crowd’s top pick, Shelton.
Djokovic stated that he was aware before the quarterfinals that he would be facing an American player, which is always challenging. He also mentioned the importance of staying calm and collected during crucial moments.
“Everything was going well for me today, but then my opponent caught up and the match became anyone’s game in the third set. This is the kind of competitive environment that we all enjoy playing in, so I am extremely happy with my victory today.”
At the age of 20, there will be numerous chances for the young player with a powerful serve to excel in upcoming tournaments. Judging from his performance at this year’s US Open, he has ample skill to succeed.
Djokovic has achieved a remarkable feat by reaching his 10th US Open final, a record that is tied with the most appearances in the tournament’s history. He is determined to claim his fourth championship at Flushing Meadows in the upcoming Sunday final.
He has the opportunity to create a milestone by tying Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam singles titles.
The 36-year-old individual will compete in the final match at Arthur Ashe Stadium against the victor of the semifinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, which will take place on Friday.
Source: cnn.com
