Novak Djokovic limited big-serving Ben Shelton to five aces and broke him five times in their U.S. Open semifinal Friday in New York City.
Djokovic pushed back when the 20-year-old unseeded American produced a late stand that got the home crowd into the match.
"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 U.S. Open in the professional era, which began in 1968. "I don't know how many I have ahead of me now."
Both men played brilliantly in parts, so-so in others. Both interacted with the spectators, pointing to an ear to ask for more noise.If Djokovic does end up leaving with the hardware this time, he would break a tie with Serena Williams for the most major singles championships in the Open era. "I thought it was very original, and I copied him," Djokovic said with a smile. "I stole his celebration."Shelton actually borrowed it from former Florida track and field athlete Grant Holloway, a world champion hurdler."I don't like when I'm on social media and I see people telling me how I can celebrate or can't celebrate. I think if you win the match, you deserve to do whatever you want," Shelton said.
A couple of lulls for Shelton against the relentlessly intense Djokovic shifted things early. A poor drop shot into the net here, a flubbed volley there, and Shelton got broken to trail 4-2. Djokovic strode calmly to a towel box in a corner to wipe off. Made sense: It was just 20 minutes and six games in.
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