Unseeded Ben Shelton heads into semifinals as the last American man at the US Open - ESPN

08.09.2023 - 20:35 espn.com

NEW YORK — As anticipated, 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will face a surging, joyful 20-year-old at the final tennis major of the year.

But he'll do so one round earlier than expected. With a matchup against world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz still looming in Sunday's final, Djokovic will first face Ben Shelton, the big-hitting, bigger-smiling American who took down two of the top-ranked U.S.

men, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, in back-to-back matches in Arthur Ashe Stadium this week. «I'm pretty pumped about the opportunity to go back out there and have the same feeling I have today against another really tough opponent,» Shelton said after his four-set win over Tiafoe in the quarterfinals late Tuesday. «I've been enjoying every moment on court, the interactions with the crowd and the tennis that's being played.» The unseeded Shelton was not the name on the lips of U.S.

tennis fans hoping to watch an American man contest a Grand Slam final — in their home Slam, no less — for the first time since 2009.

tennis exclusive Celebrity love UPS as Carlos Alcaraz Andy Roddick Novak Djokovic Tommy Paul Taylor Fritz Star France Usa New York county Arthur county Queens

The 2023 WNBA playoffs are here, with the No. 3 seed Connecticut Sun hosting the No. 6 seed Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App), followed by the No. 1 seed Las Vegas Aces welcoming the No. 8 seed Chicago Sky (10 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App). The other two series kick off Friday when the No. 7 seed Washington Mystics travel to the No. 2 seed New York Liberty (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App) and the No. 5 seed Atlanta Dream visit the No. 4 Dallas Wings (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN App).

Ben Shelton's dad takes aim at Novak Djokovic for mocking phone call celebration in US Open victory

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Breanna Stewart edges A'ja Wilson for AP WNBA Player of the Year honors by 1 vote - ESPN

Breanna Stewart wanted to get closer to home after spending her entire WNBA career in Seattle so she signed with New York as a free agent in a seismic move during the offseason.

Coco Gauff tops Aryna Sabalenka to win US Open - ESPN

NEW YORK — Coco Gauff won her first major title on Saturday at the US Open with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Aryna Sabalenka in front of an adoring crowd under the roof on a stormy day at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

What went wrong for defending champ Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open - ESPN

NEW YORK — From the moment world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz lifted the Wimbledon trophy after defeating Novak Djokovic in an epic five-set thriller in July, tennis fans have been manifesting a rematch in New York. And for most of the past two weeks, their meeting in Sunday's US Open final seemed inevitable. Djokovic did his part Friday, taking the first semifinal in straight sets over American Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) and booking his spot in the final.

Novak Djokovic Schools Ben Shelton To Reach 10th US Open Final

Novak Djokovic earned himself another shot at a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title after beating unseeded American Ben Shelton in straight sets on Friday to advance to his 10th US Open final. Djokovic ended the run of the 20-year-old Shelton, winning 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) to set up a potential repeat of his Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz, who faces Daniil Medvedev in the other semi-final. "Another Grand Slam final. I cannot be happier with where I am," said Djokovic, who signed off victory in his 100th US Open match by imitating Shelton's hang-up-the-phone celebration.