What did we just witness?!
World No. 2 tennis star Novak Djokovic just wiped the court with up-and-coming 20-year-old Ben Shelton. The experienced Serbian dramatically showed the young American who the boss of tennis still is. He battered the hard-hitting youngster in just three brutal sets, using the American’s own celebration to solidify his dominating victory.
THIS LEAGUE! THIS LEAGUE! THIS LEAGUE! pic.twitter.com/M39UlKWfxu
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023
Djokovic won the first set 6-3, followed by an even easier second set, finishing 6-2. Shelton then made a last-ditch effort to stay in the match. The third and final set went to a tie-break — which the 36-year-old Serbian also won — ending the match, as well as the American’s dream run, on the most pivotal tennis stage in the United States. (RELATED: ‘Are You Stupid?’: Superstar Lashes Out At Cameraman, Fans During Tennis Match)
Hang up the phone! The celebration you can see Djokovic doing after the last point of the match is the same celebration Shelton was doing all week. He pretends to pick up the phone and then dramatically slams the imaginary phone down, ending the fabricated phone call. Djkovic’s celebration did not bother the American, according to ESPN.
I’m sorry, the person you are trying to reach has a voicemail box that has not been set up yet. Please try again later, goodbye.
Although Shelton suffered a disappointing defeat, his efforts in the U.S. Open will not go unrecognized. The World No. 47 tennis player proved he is ready to hit with the big boys and has the potential to be the best American tennis player in the world.
“I still feel I have something in my legs left,” Djokovic said in the post-match interview. “I still feel I have something to give to the sport.”
Djokovic will face the winner of the other semi-final Sunday, either Daniil Medvedev or world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Medvedev was the winner of the 2021 U.S. Open and Alcaraz was the winner of the 2022 U.S. Open.