Novak Djokovic Beats Ben Shelton to Play for a 24th Huge homerun Singles Title

Djokovic finished the 20-year-old American's thrilling U.S. Open run with a straight-set triumph in their elimination round match.

Novak Djokovic brings the two arms up in the air subsequent to dominating his elimination round game.

Novak Djokovic overpowered Ben Shelton to reach one more Huge homerun final.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times

Sept. 8, 2023

Each time Ben Shelton, the 20-year-old Floridian thunderclap, took the court at the U.S. Open this year he put on one of the best shows of the competition.

He was a racket-waving feature reel again on Friday evening in the elimination rounds, playing the sort of tennis that could make each American fan honor the soul of "Large" Bill Tilden or anything that supernatural power drove Shelton to seek after tennis rather than football as he turned into a youngster.

That second serve of 143 miles each hour, and the startling forehand the youngster tore across the court. The physicality he showed drifting back to transform strong hurls into valiant, shaking overhands. Those arms undulating out of his sleeveless shirt, and the soul, as well, the manner in which he shouted out an overflowing "definitely! Also, that touch on the drop volleys, that land and twist back toward the net.

Sadly for Shelton, the scoring framework in tennis offers no style focuses, and in Novak Djokovic he confronted not just a 23-time Huge homerun victor and the best player of the cutting edge period however a definitive specialist of tennis jujitsu. For quite a long time, and never more than in his most recent stretch of strength, the 36-year-old Djokovic has been turning the power and style of the flashiest and most impressive challengers against them.

Ben Shelton lurching while at the same time taking a gander at a ball going over the net, his left arm outstretched for a forehand.

Ben Shelton running in to deal with a drop shot.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times

Furthermore, that is precisely exact thing Djokovic did Friday. Playing in a record 47th Huge homerun elimination round, Djokovic executed the kind of strategic deconstruction of Shelton that has squashed the fantasies and great energies and blaze that such countless more youthful players have come at him with previously. Without utilizing an ounce more energy than he needed to, Djokovic dismantled the young fellow with the etched arms, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), in a little more than over two hours.

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For the greater part of the evening, he found Shelton's drop shots from the rear of the court like a cheetah pursuing his lunch, and took out the rockets on Shelton's serve like he was getting butterflies in a field on a pre-fall evening. At the point when it finished with Shelton whipping a forehand into the net, Djokovic even took Shelton's tremendously discussed post-match festivity — emulating a telephone at his ear then, at that point, throwing it down prior to giving the youthful fellow a frosty handshake.

See now, Djokovic values a conspicuous tennis feature as much as anybody. Taking the court for the third set holding an almost difficult — against him — two-set lead, he swung pretty much as hard as possible and watched Shelton feather a drop volley. Djokovic gave the second the racket applaud it merited. Exquisite play, young fellow. Minutes after the fact he traveled into the court and moved a passing shot to break Shelton's serve and soul again

Perspective on the tennis court in Arthur Ashe Arena encompassed by fans.

Djokovic and Shelton played their elimination round match before a fired up crowed of almost 24,000 fans.Credit...Maansi Srivastava/The New York Times

Djokovic did this before a horde of almost 24,000 fans at Arthur Ashe Arena fired up for a high power fight. With rainstorms nearby, the rooftop was shut, and each time Shelton set up one of those presentations of force and contact and speed and physicality and left away with the point, the impact of the thunders was something that felt like you could really connect with.

That was never more evident than when Shelton followed 2-4 in the third set, frantically attempting to expand the match. He wound up with a highlight break Djokovic's serve and didn't frustrate, bringing Djokovic into a wide forehand that created a cerebrum shaking sound. Two games later, in the midst of Djokovic's just mistake tossed and poor-serving pause in the day (it works out), he held a break point and every one of the great energies.

Yet again and afterward, Djokovic smothered the second with his brand name productivity — a 124 mp.h. serve out wide that Shelton couldn't deal with. Request had been reestablished.

There was still somewhat more Shelton and Djokovic for the pressed arena to appreciate. Shelton saved match point and sent the third set to a sudden death round, then, at that point, kept close by a piece when he went down, 5-1. Yet, Djokovic had activities and a legitimate spot in his 36th Huge homerun last. Shelton whipped that forehand into the net and it was Djokovic's chance to luxuriate in the clamor — and to hang up the telephone.