US Open: Dialling the winning number

New York, September 9

Novak Djokovic limited big-serving Ben Shelton to five aces and broke him five times in their US Open semifinal Friday.

Djokovic pushed back when the 20-year-old unseeded American produced a late stand that got the home crowd into the match.

22 The Serb has now won 22 of his last 23 Major tournament semifinals since 2015. His only semifinal loss was to Dominic Thiem in five sets at Roland Garros in 2019

36 Djokovic, 36, is the oldest man to appear in the US Open semifinals since Jimmy Connors, who was 39 in his famous run in 1991

And after overcoming what he called “a little black hole” caused by tension to right himself, finish off a 6-3 6-2 7-6(4) victory and reach his record-tying 10th final at Flushing Meadows and 36th at all major tournaments, Djokovic added a touch of insult to injury by mimicking the kid’s “Hang up the phone!” celebration gesture.

The challenge is you are playing a guy who has won 23 Grand Slams and I have only one. Daniil Medvedev on facing Djokovic in final

Djokovic then pointed to his temple and pounded his fist on his chest, before a stone-faced Shelton met him at the net for the most perfunctory of handshakes.

A year after Djokovic could not travel to the United States for the Major because he is not vaccinated against Covid-19, the 36-year-old from Serbia is one victory away from a fourth title in New York and 24th Grand Slam championship overall.

“Well, fact is that, at 36, every Grand Slam final … could be the last one. So I think that I probably value these occasions and opportunities to win another Slam more than I have maybe 10 years ago,” said Djokovic, who would be the oldest man to win the US Open in the professional era, which began in 1968. “I don’t know how many I have ahead of me now.”

He has made it to the finals of all four Majors this season, with victories at the Australian Open in January and French Open in June.

Tomorrow night, Djokovic will face 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who advanced by eliminating defending champ Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3) 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the second semifinal Friday night. — AP