Experience put paid to youthful exuberance as Novak Djokovic ended Ben Shelton’s American dream on the US Open.
Djokovic, 36, halted big-serving 20-year-old Shelton’s breakthrough run within the semi-finals with a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-4) victory on Friday at Flushing Meadows.
It was a defeat which can extend America’s look ahead to a primary residence males’s champion since Andy Roddick in 2003 for a minimum of one other 12 months, and likewise mark a report tenth look within the males’s ultimate for Djokovic.
The gulf in big-occasion nous was obvious from the beginning, with Djokovic enjoying in his a centesimal US Open match and Shelton his seventh.
Shelton was the youngest American man to achieve the semi-finals since Michael Chang in 1992, Djokovic the eldest since Jimmy Connors a 12 months earlier.
The Serbian was enjoying in his forty seventh grand-slam semi, and Shelton his first.
Now Djokovic is now one win away from a twenty fourth main title and turning into the oldest winner within the Open period, surpassing Australian Ken Rosewall who was 35 when he received the title in 1970.
“Look, these are the kind of matches and occasions that I still thrive on, that inspire me to wake up every day and work hard,” Djokovic stated.
“Grand slams are the most important, the ones that mean the most to me. Playing an American player is never easy and I had to hold my nerve.
“It was anyone’s sport on the finish of the third set. I’m actually happy with this win immediately.”
A poor service game saw Shelton gift Djokovic a break in the first set with three unforced errors including an ill-advised drop shot.
The youngster saved four set points on his own serve and had a break-back point in the next but was unable to take it as Djokovic got the first set on the board in 34 minutes.
A double-fault gave Djokovic another break in the second as Shelton’s unforced errors really began to pile up; by the end of the second set he had made 27 to Djokovic’s nine.
Shelton gave the New York crowd something to cheer in the third when he twice retrieved breaks and had a set point on the Djokovic serve.
It was rapidly snuffed out, although, and Djokovic prevailed within the tie-break to guide a thirty sixth grand slam ultimate – which is extremely half of the majors he has competed in.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
