CNN
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Before a ball was even thrown in this year’s competition. US Openmany would have predicted three of the four semi-finalists in the men’s draw.
Novak DjokovicCarlos Alcaraz and Daniel Medvedev Everyone has been at this stage before. All have won at least one Grand Slam and all three have occupied the top three rankings in the world.
Next up is American hopeful Ben Shelton. Honestly, not many would have predicted that the 20-year-old would make it this far in New York, but his place in the semifinals wasn’t bad.
With his towering serve and powerful groundstroke, the world No. 47 has certainly shown his ability to sit among the game’s elite, but will have to find new heights to book his place in the final.
Djokovic and Shelton open the action at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday at 3 p.m. ET, followed by Medvedev taking on Alcraz.
Viewers in the US can watch all the action on ESPN, while Sky Sports will broadcast the matches in the UK.
After defeating compatriot Francis Tiafoe in the final round, Shelton moved into a tie with Djokovic for the greatest player to ever play the game.
The Serbian is bidding to win his fourth US Open title and his 24th Grand Slam overall. Again, they have been in top form in the tournament and will likely test Shelton like he has never been tested before when they meet for the first time.
However, with the home crowd behind him, Shelton is hoping he can surprise a few in Friday’s semifinals.
“I think any time you play somebody for the first time and somebody who’s been in that situation many times and won many times, it’s in the back of your head,” Shelton admitted. What did
“I also think it’s an advantage with my game style that I’ve never played before.
“I think I can bring some things to the table that you might not see in your normal match.”
Shelton has had a remarkable 12 months since making his Grand Slam debut at last year’s US Open, where he lost in the first round.
He broke into the world top 100 later that year without playing outside the US before opening 2023 with a quarter-final run at the Australian Open.
Coached by his father, the teenager has only continued to improve and is now the youngest American man to reach the singles semifinals since 1992.
“I think the mental state has improved more than the physical,” Shelton told reporters when discussing his growth.
“There are times where I could go to my box today and say, ‘Guys, I’m done. I’m tired. I don’t know if I can go any further.’
“Instead, I told myself, ‘I’m fine and he’s feeling it, too.’ I think turning it over in your head is more than half the battle.
Djokovic, playing in his 47th Grand Slam semifinal, will be the favorite to advance on Friday, but will certainly be made to work for it.
The reckless Shelton, who is 16 years younger than his rival, has nothing to lose and will therefore have license to take it to Djokovic.
with “brutal“Already the heat of the players at this stage of the tournament, the veteran Djokovic knows he needs to plan for battle.
“I have to adopt a style that is different than 10 years ago,” he told reporters about adapting his game at the age of 36.
“I’m a father of two, there’s a lot of things going on off the court that are obviously part of my life that affect me in one way or another, my mental state, my emotional state.
“I need to figure out how to handle all of these things and create a formula that works. So far, so good.”
World No. 1 Alcaraz will face Russian third seed Medvedev in the other semi-final.
The pair have won the last two US Open titles between them, Alcaraz last year and Medvedev in 2021, and both have looked sharp over the past two weeks.
Spain’s Alcaraz will have the added pressure of being the reigning champions, but it is something he has had to quickly get used to over the past 12 months.
His win at Flushing Meadows in 2022 heralded the Spaniard as a global superstar and he has gone from favorite to contender in almost every tournament he plays.
“Last year, I was facing my first Grand Slam semifinal. Now, I’m facing my fourth,” Alcaraz told reporters.
“I think I’m a completely different player. I think I’m more mature. I handle pressure better.”
Medvedev, meanwhile, has been around for quite some time, but has also been surfing a wave of momentum in recent weeks.
After a disappointing third-round exit at the Australian Open, the 27-year-old has turned his form around and has won five titles so far in 2023.
Despite struggling with intense heat during his semi-final battle with Andrey Rublev, Medvedev has been putting in some impressive performances and looks a real threat to Alcaraz.
“Tennis is like that. I think sometimes in life it can happen, a lot of things can happen, and you can be disappointed,” Medvedev told reporters.
“Then the next day is a new day and something good can happen.”