Every time Ben Shelton, the 20-year-old lightning bolt from Florida, stepped onto the court at the US Open this year, he put on one of the greatest shows of the tournament.
He was again a racquet-wielding highlight in the semifinals Friday afternoon, playing the kind of tennis that could make any American fan pay homage to the spirit of the “great” Bill Tilden, or whatever magical force made Shelton love tennis playing soccer when he became a teenager.
That second serve at 143 miles per hour and the fearsome forehand that the boy swept across the court. The athleticism he showed flowed back, turning solid lobs into fearless, rocking overhands. Those arms curling out of his sleeveless shirt, and the mood too, the way he shouted an exuberant “Yes!” like a kid in the playground, every time he snatched a big dot. And that touch on the drop volleys that land and spin back to the net.
Unfortunately for Shelton, the tennis scoring system does not provide style points, and in Novak Djokovic he was up against not only a 23-time Grand Slam winner and the greatest player of the modern era, but also the ultimate tennis tai chi practitioner. For years, and never more so than in his final phase of dominance, the 36-year-old Djokovic has turned the strength and style of the flashiest and most powerful challengers against him.
And that’s exactly what Djokovic did on Friday. Playing in a record-breaking 47th Grand Slam semifinal, Djokovic carried out the kind of tactical deconstruction of Shelton that has shattered the dreams, good vibes and glitz with which so many younger players had previously pounced on him. Without using an ounce more energy than necessary, Djokovic dismantled the young man with the sculpted arms 6:3, 6:2, 7:6 (7:4) in just over two and a half hours.
For most of the afternoon, he stalked Shelton’s drop shots from the back of the court like a cheetah chasing his lunch, firing the missiles at Shelton’s serve like he was catching butterflies in a field on a late summer afternoon. When it ended with Shelton slamming a forehand into the net, Djokovic even stole Shelton’s much-talked about post-match celebration by mimicking a phone to his ear, then slamming it to the ground before giving the young lad an icy handshake.
Understand now that Djokovic appreciates a flashy tennis highlight as much as anyone. He took an almost unassailable lead of two sets in the third set, hit as hard as he could and watched as Shelton hit a drop volley. Djokovic gave the moment the racquet gossip it deserved. Nice game, young man. Minutes later, he marched onto the field and rolled a pass shot to break Shelton’s serve and will again.
Djokovic did all of this in front of a crowd of almost 24,000 fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, who were preparing for a fast-paced brawl. When there were thunderstorms in the area, the roof was closed, and every time Shelton put on one of those displays of strength, finesse, speed and athleticism and came away with the point, it felt like you could reach out with the loud roar and touch.
That was never truer than when Shelton was 4-2 down in the third set and desperately trying to extend the game. He had a point to break Djokovic’s serve and didn’t disappoint, luring Djokovic into a wide forehand that made a brain-rattling noise. Two games later, amid Djokovic’s only error-filled and poor-serving break of the day (it happens), he saved a break point and all the good vibes.
And then Djokovic smothered the moment again with his trademark efficiency – 124 miles per hour. Serve too far for Shelton to handle. Order was restored.
There was a bit more Shelton and Djokovic for the crowded stadium. Shelton saved the match point and sent the third set into the tie break, but then hung a little as he went down 5-1. But Djokovic had work to do and a rightful spot in his 36th Grand Slam final. Shelton netted the forehand and it was Djokovic’s turn to bask in the noise – and hang up the phone.