The 2023 U.S. Open has reached its semifinal stage, and the last American man left in the competition is facing a formidable challenge. Ben Shelton, who is unranked, will be going up against one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Novak Djokovic, in today’s men’s semifinal match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Shelton’s remarkable journey at the U.S. Open has been nothing short of a fairytale. The 20-year-old managed to defeat former U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem in the second round, and then went on to outlast his compatriots Tommy Paul and Francis Tiafoe to secure his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal appearance. In contrast, Djokovic is a seasoned player who has won the U.S. Open three times and holds a record-breaking 23 Grand Slam men’s singles titles.
For those interested in watching the Djokovic vs. Shelton match, it is scheduled to take place today, September 8, at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET. Tickets for the match are still available, with prices starting at $49. You can purchase last-minute tickets through VividSeats.com or Stubhub.
If you prefer to watch the match from the comfort of your own home, you can catch it live on ESPN. Most cable packages offer ESPN as part of their lineup, allowing you to watch Djokovic vs. Shelton on TV. However, if you don’t have cable, you can still stream the match online. DIRECTV Stream is one option that provides a live feed of ESPN and offers a five-day free trial, allowing you to watch the match for free. Another streaming service, fuboTV, also offers a seven-day free trial for those who want to stream the match without cable.
It’s worth noting that while there may be free streaming links available on platforms like Reddit, the only official U.S. Open live feed is through ESPN and the aforementioned live TV streaming services.
In terms of the matchup between Djokovic and Shelton, Djokovic is the clear favorite according to IBM’s AI-generated Match Insights. The Serbian player has a 74 percent chance of winning based on the analysis. Djokovic’s extensive experience, including his 23 Grand Slam titles and recent finals appearance at the U.S. Open tuneup in Cincinnati (where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz), further solidifies his position as the favorite. However, IBM’s watsonx platform does give Shelton an edge in terms of his fastest serve speed, which has reached 149 mph, the highest among all 128 competitors.
If you’re looking to watch Shelton vs. Djokovic online for free, you can take advantage of the DIRECTV Stream free trial to livestream the semifinal tennis match. The trial also allows you to watch the second semifinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, which is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET.
The Djokovic vs. Shelton match is sure to be an exciting showdown, as the established champion goes up against the rising underdog. Tennis fans won’t want to miss this epic clash of talent and determination. So, secure your tickets or set your streaming plans in motion to witness this thrilling semifinal match at the 2023 U.S. Open.
