ATP
Djokovic stuns Shelton to roll into US Open final
Novak Djokovic dipped into his toolbox of veteran’s skills to school American upstart Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) on Friday, reaching another US Open final..
The world No.2 who is now one victory away from history – a 24th Grand Slam singles title – was untroubled by the local hype of the 20-year-old son of a tennis coach as they got down to business on a day of potential rain at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic will await an opponent for the Sunday final as top seed Carlos Alcaraz faces Daniil Medvedv in a battle of current and former champions.
The 36-year-old Djokovic spent two and three-quarter hours in advancing into the title match, winning in his 100th match at the tournament where he owns three titles.
The match went mainly his way until Shelton rose up in the third to challenge the older player, forcing Djokovic to dig deep and pull out the win on a second match point to reach his 37th final at a Grand Slam.
“These are the matches and conditions I thrive on,” he said. “They are what inspire me to wake up each morning and work as hard as the young guys.
“The motivate me to play my best tennis.
“Playing a US player, I had to hold my nerve and remain composed in the moments that really matter.
“Things were going smoothly in the third set and then he broke me back. It was tough at the end of the third set.
“I’m really pleased with this win today.”
Djokovic is the oldest to play an Open semi since Jimmy Connors – aged 39 – in 1991.
The winner was competing in his 47th Grand Slam semi-final as he made his way into his 10th final here. Djokovic has played in all four finals at the majors this season, winning Australia and Paris and losing a Wimbledon final against Alcaraz
Djokovic maintained his career record of never losing in New York to an American, a streak which has now been extended to 13 victories..
The veteran has won 21 of his last 22 Grand Slam semi-finals since 2015 when he went down at this stage to Dominic Thiem in five sets at 2019 Roland Garros.
Shelton was the first unseeded semi-finalist here since Grigor Dimitrov four years ago.
Djokovic struck first in the opening set under a closed roof closed, with the second seed braking for a 4-2 lead,
But instead of closing out the opener quickly, the Serb was thwarted in the eight game as Shelton saved four set points to hang on, 3-5.
Moments later, Djokovic came good on his fifth chance as his opponent sent a forehand into the net to lose the set after 34 minutes.
In the second, Shelton saved a first break point in the fifth game but sent over a double fault on a second to hand Djokovic a 3-2 lead.
The seed then secured a double break for 5-2 and claimed a two-sets-to-love lead from a service winner on set point.
Djokovic broke to start the third set but slipped as he dropped serve in the eighth game to allow the challenger to square at 4-all
The Serb saved a set point and held for 5-5 then broke for 6-5 with a sizzling cross-court winner which Shelton could not touch.
Djokovic suddenly faced break points as he tried to finish off the job, with Djokovic firing wide on a match point followed by Shelton taking the set into a tiebreaker after his opponent shanked an overhead into the net.
The veteran finally escaped in the decider, taking a 5-1 lead and closing out the win as he held off a Shelton fightback in the decider.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
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