US Open 2023 semi-final result: 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic beats Ben Shelton to reach another final at Flushing Meadows

Three-time champion Novak Djokovic marks his 100th match at the US Open by booking his place in a 10th final at Flushing Meadows.

The Serb had to work hard to fend off the challenge of the young American, who really made life tough for the No.2 seed late in the third before Nole managed to come through 7-4 in the breaker.

It means the 36-year-old will compete in his 36th Grand Slam final overall, after seeing off the 20-year-old in straight sets after a highly entertaining two hours and 39 minutes on Ashe.

Djokovic will now bid for a 24th major on Sunday when he will meet either Carlos Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev in the final.

In recent years Nole’s record in breakers has developed into something intimidating for the rest of the Tour. He’s so hard to breakdown that when he goes into ‘I don’t miss’ mode, not many can live with him.

It looks like being the case here as he storms into a 5-1 lead at the change of ends, with only a surprising forehand forecourt miss blotting his copybook.

The plot thickens!

Djokovic saves two break points but then blows match point before getting so tight to hand Shelton a third chance.

This time the American defends brilliantly and hangs up a high ball that Djoker opts to take out of the sky, duly thrashing it low into the net.

It’s a turn up for the books and now it’s Tie-break time!

And just like that, the crowd on Ashe are hushed.

Shelton’s forehand miscues horribly to offer up two break points and this time there’s no denying the Serb, who chases down a high-bouncing drop shot to rifle away the crosscourt winner.

Djokovic will now serve for a spot in Sunday’s final.

It’s such a nervy game from Novak as he shows that even 36-year-old, 23-time major winners who have seen and done it all still get anxious.

The Serb can’t buy a first serve and when a tight, crosscourt backhand clips the top of the tape and bounces wide, he finds himself facing set point.

Cue the Serbinator to kick into life with a clutch wide serve to make deuce before just about keeping the American at bay to reach parity.

It’s almost a case of who can play the more spellbinding shot at this juncture.

Shelton charges to his left to sizzle a forehand on a full-on run to lick the edge of the line before Nole conjures up something just as special with a winner around the net posts.

It’s finely poised at 30-30 and 4-4 in the third, but Shelton comes up trumps with an ace and another clutch serve to push the board in his favour.

Hold the phone!

Shelton has the crowd on their feet as he suddenly moves through the gears to stun Novak and earn the break back!

It all starts when he rampages to the net to dig out a drop shot and level at 30-30 with a smash.

A thunderous forehand on the run lures an error into the net from the No.2 seed, who then buckles in the ensuing rally with a loose forehand long.

Shelton stops still and points to his ear, soaking up the adulation from the pro-American crowd.

Shelton keeps battling. His belief must surely have waned but he’s going down firing.

It seems like another BP is on the cards as Djoker dictates at 30-30 but the American steps to his left and crushes a stunning forehand up the line before moving back in-court to thunder away another to snare the point.

A timely big first serve does the rest as the 20-year-old, who will crack the world’s top 20 (provisionally 19th) after his run here, chalks up another game on the board.

We’ve seen some hugely entertaining games on the Shelton serve, but not so much on Novak’s. The Serb has been miserly and offered the young American very little to chew on, opting for precision over raw power.

It's the same again here as Djokovic cruises through another hold to move ever closer to another major final.

It’s another one of those see-saw games for Shelton as Djokovic takes advantage of a lob long to then rifle a forehand winner up the line and reach deuce from 40-15 down.

The World No.47 volleys long again to offer up another BP but a 143mph ace down the T wipes it out.

An absolute belter of a backhand down the line helps the American regain the initiative and for once he is able to get out of dodge and stay in some sort of contention.

Shelton plays some wonderful points, out-foxing Nole with a drop-shot riposte, scorching a crosscourt return winner and making deuce with a clutch, low volley.

But it’s still not enough.

Djoker roars when the American sizzles a return out and then punches the air as the 20-year-old volleys long to end the game after dominating the rally.

When it’s good from Shelton, it’s usually jaw-droppingly good. The 20-year-old earns some respite with a smash to close out a hold to 15 and belatedly get himself on the board.

Aces three and four bookend another efficient hold to 15 as Djokovic consolidates and looks to finish the job off with room to spare here.

It looks like being a positive opening for Shelton when he corks a red-hot forehand up the line for a 40-15 lead.

However, errors off the forehand and anther double fault hand Djokovic an early opportunity to break from deuce and the Serb makes no mistake with a clinical forehand winner.

Daniil Medvedev knows better than most how hard it is to beat Carlos Alcaraz, comparing facing the Spaniard in the US Open semi-finals to playing Rafael Nadal on clay.

What was dubbed a nigh on impossible task for Shelton is proving to be just that as Djokovic’s consistency and ability to make his opponent play one more ball sees the No.2 seed take complete control of this semi-final. The Serb serves out to 30 to move within asset of yet another major final.

Shelton shakes his head in dismay and has a mini rant to himself.

It follows a block volley into the tramlines that he feels was unlucky. It gets worse a moment later as a silly drop shot with the point on his racquet is tracked down by Novak, who knifes a pass down the line to snare break point.

The 20-year-old unloads a succession of forehands to turn the game around, but Djoker won’t let it lie and tees up a second opportunity from deuce.

An emphatic smash quashes that but Shelton dumps a forehand into the net to cough up a third chance that the Serb converts when he forces his opponent to over-think a backhand crosscourt pass at the net, which flies way off court.