Novak Djokovic has placed his epic Australian Open semi-final triumph over Jannik Sinner among his greatest ever victories, a win that brings him tantalisingly close to securing an unprecedented 25th grand slam singles crown. The Serbian legend, aged 38, overcame significant physical challenges and a two-set deficit to achieve this monumental feat at a vibrant Rod Laver Arena on Friday night.
A Gruelling Battle Against the Defending Champion
Djokovic found himself twice down a set and appeared physically unwell during the third set against Sinner, the two-time defending champion. Despite these hurdles, he demonstrated remarkable resilience, winding back the clock to secure a hard-fought 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-4 victory. The match, which lasted four hours and nine minutes and concluded at 1.32am in Melbourne, was a true test of endurance and skill.
"I wouldn't dare to call it finest ever, but it's definitely the finest in the last couple of years," Djokovic remarked to reporters. "Under the circumstances, semis against Sinner, who has been playing the best tennis of his life the last couple of years, particularly here, two-time defending champion, it doesn't get better than this."
Historic Achievement and Upcoming Final
As the world No.4, Djokovic now becomes the oldest man to qualify for an Australian Open final in the open era. He is set to face top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's decider, following the Spaniard's own thrilling five-set semi-final win over Alexander Zverev. This marks Djokovic's first grand slam final since his defeat to Alcaraz in the 2024 Wimbledon final.
A victory in this final would be particularly significant, as an 11th Australian Open triumph would see Djokovic surpass Margaret Court to become the sole player with 25 grand slam singles titles. "It's no secret that grand slams are where I want to play my best tennis," Djokovic stated, acknowledging the increasing challenge of motivation. "I was imagining really playing against Jannik and Carlos at the final stages of grand slams this year, battling it out and really giving it all that I have."
Overcoming Doubt and Physical Demands
Djokovic's journey to this point has been fueled by critics who doubted his ability to reach another major final, especially after he was knocked out in the semi-finals at all four grand slams last year. "I never stopped believing in myself, you know," he affirmed. "There's a lot of people that doubt me. I see there is a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years. You know, I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight."
The match against Sinner was physically gruelling, with Djokovic saving 16 of 18 break points and snapping a run of 10 consecutive sets he had lost to the Italian in the past two years. Despite appearing sick into a towel during the third set, he held his nerve in a high-class contest, eventually sealing victory on his third match point.
Sinner's Reflection on a Painful Defeat
For Sinner, a four-time major winner who could have matched Djokovic's feat of three consecutive Australian Open crowns, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. "It was a very important slam for me, of course, but it can happen," he said. "It was a good match for both of us and I had many chances, couldn't use them and that's the outcome. It hurts, for sure."
Djokovic expressed immense pride and relief after the match, highlighting the physical demands and the significance of this big win. "I'm very fortunate to already get it in the first slam of the year. So, yeah, big win, very proud, very happy, and very relieved as well because it was physically very demanding and gruelling."
