There could be an Alcaraz vs. Djokovic rematch in US Open Sunday’s final, as Carlos Alcaraz will take on 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the final four on Friday, while 23-time Slam champ Novak Djokovic faces unseeded Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old American who’s never been this far at a major. The Associated Press has the story:
Novak Djokovic will challenge Ben Shelton at US Open S/F
Newslooks- (AP)
Novak Djokovic claimed his spot at the U.S. Open in a record 47th Grand Slam semi-final.
Djokovic beating Taylor Fritz 6-1 6-4 6-4 to stay on course for a fourth U.S. Open title that would see him match Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Grand Slams.
23-time Slam champ Novak Djokovic faces unseeded Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old American who’s never been this far at a major.
Fritz had lost all seven career meetings with Djokovic and never beaten a top-10 opponent at a Grand Slam but rolled into the quarter-finals in sensational form, the only player to not drop a set and broken only once in 50 service games.
Djokovic wasted no time ending both those runs, breaking the American three times before ending the first set with a booming ace and never took his foot off the gas.
The fickle New York crowd has never really fully embraced Djokovic and the Serb is likely to find himself increasingly unpopular this week.
Not since Andy Roddick in 2003 has an American man won the U.S. Open and Djokovic could single-handedly dash home hopes of ending that drought.
Having eliminated Fritz he now finds 20-year-old Shelton standing between him and a 10th trip to the final.
“It’s normal, it’s logical to expect that most of the crowd would support the home player,” said Djokovic. “That’s probably going to be the case on Friday, but I’ll be ready for it.
“I’m trying to enjoy the moments on the court, but there is so much stress and pressure going on that it’s hard to have fun on the court.
“It’s really about finding a way to navigate through the match and win a tennis match for me.”
Novak Djokovic’s quarterfinal victory over Taylor Fritz, distracting the 23-time Grand Slam champion enough to cost him that point and then having screams directed back at him when Djokovic lost the next point, too.
Carlos Alcaraz has separated himself from the chasing pack and is performing at the same level as 23-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, said Alexander Zverev on Wednesday after his U.S. Open quarter-final defeat to the Spaniard.
Zverev was once viewed as the best bet to break the “Big Three’s” stranglehold on men’s tennis but the 26-year-old German has failed to kick on and is still seeking a first Grand Slam title.
There could be an Alcaraz vs. Djokovic rematch in US Open Sunday’s final, as Carlos Alcaraz will take on 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the final four on Friday, while 23-time Slam champ Novak Djokovic faces unseeded Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old American who’s never been this far at a major.
