Ben Shelton vs Novak Djokovic US Open tips: Young Atlanta leftie can give the GOAT an early semi-final scare

How bad was Smith by the way? After a few rounds, I remember succumbing to that uneasy feeling of ennui and despair as I questioned out loud the merits of having money on someone who looks like a geography teacher going through a particularly messy divorce. 

To business then and the final Grand Slam of 2023 is reaching the business end of proceedings. The men’s event is absolutely cooking with three former champions and an American youngster still at large. 

Its exactly 20 years since an American won the men’s singles title in New York. That man was Andy Roddick and Ben Shelton became the youngest American to reach the Flushing Meadows semis since a peak ‘A-Rod’ two decades ago when he took care of Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday. 

His serve has been clocked at 149 mph in the Big Apple so with just two matches left to win you cannot say he is totally without hope (Roddick holds the US Open fastest serve record by the way at 152 mph and that could be in danger on Friday). 

Shelton has won 50 sets at ATP level this year. Amazingly, 23 of those sets have come at the Australian Open and US Open combined. 

Put simply, Shelton is box-office.  And all eyes will be on him this Friday when he goes up against Novak Djokovic. It is a battle of the generations. Shelton was two and presumably still poo-ing in his nappies when Djokovic won his first US Open match. Just let that sink in. 

They say old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance. However Shelton – a 8/1 outsider to beat the Serb with Planet Sport Bet – is not without a shot. 

He has exactly the right style top trouble Djokovic; winning loads of free points on serve and he will surely refrain from having those attritional baseline rallies Djokovic loves to have in favour of moving forward to the net with regularity. 

Djokovic reached a record 47th men's Grand Slam semi-final with a straight-set win over Taylor Fritz. That win saw him surpass Roger Federer (46) in terms of most Grand Slam semi-finals contested.

He is the epitome of consistency and one of the greatest athletes of our time. He is the GOAT.

However, at 36 the GOAT is not unbeatable, as another brash young 20-year-old from Spain proved at this year’s Wimbledon final. 

You know what you are going to get with the three-time champion. Mental toughness, agility and consistency from both wings. 

This will be the first meeting between them, and Shelton feels that will be to his advantage. 

“I think that it's an advantage with my game style, playing someone who's never played me before," Shelton told reporters after the Tiafoe win. 

"I think that I can bring some things to the table that maybe you don't see in your normal match that you play on the ATP Tour.”

 

 

The young leftie from Atlanta will need all of his weapons on Friday if he is to stand a chance against the Djoker, but he can make a game of it here if he can retain his focus amidst all the hype and the hoopla. 

His serve is a real weapon. As well as the speed, he can produce a significant amount of kick on both first and second serves.

Shelton is also powerful and consistent on both the forehand and backhand side.

He may not be rounded enough to win the match, but 7/2 about Shelton winning the first set looks tasty.

This is a free hit for the youngster. If he plays fast and loose, he could give Novak some sort of battle. I am punting him to win the first set in New York, and lighting all the candles for Shelton.

 

Tip: Shelton to win Set 1 v Djokovic at 7/2 (Planet Sport Bet)