By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@AustralianOpen.
Novak Djokovic will play world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s men’s final of the Australian Open after battling past defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic sent Sinner packing with a 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-4 win at a rocking Rod Laver Arena.
The Italian eased into a 3-0 lead in the opening set as he looked to continue his recent dominance over the Serb. Sinner had won the previous five meetings and nine sets between them.
The 38-year-old redlined his game in the second set with aggressive baseline tennis to win his first set against Sinner since the semi-finals at Melbourne Park in 2024.
However, the ageing Serb began to feel the intensity of Friday’s match, and several loose errors deep in the third set saw Sinner cinch it by breaking Djokovic at 4-5. The veteran Serb was seen bending down between points and collapsing into his chair at changeovers as his 24-year-old opponent looked to be outlasting him.
There was, however, one more twist, as Djokovic’s resilience shone through by breaking Sinner in the first game of the fourth set. He continued to find a good rhythm on serve – a major weapon in his game during the twilight years of his career – saving several break points.
It ensured the first five-setter between them since the 2022 Wimbledon quarter-finals, which Djokovic won from two sets down.
“It feels surreal, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who had lost the five previous matches to the 24-year-old Italian Sinner.
“The level of intensity, and I guess the quality of tennis, was extremely high, and I knew that was the only way for me to have a chance to win tonight against him.”
He added: “Jokes aside, I told him at the net, thanks for allowing me at least one (win) in the last couple of years.
“I have tremendous respect for him, an incredible player. He pushes you to the very limit, which is what he did tonight to me.”
With age and injuries catching up with Djokovic, Sunday may represent the Serb’s best chance of seizing that elusive 25th major, although his gritty display against Sinner shows he still has plenty left in the tank.
His last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, since when Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated men’s tennis.
Meanwhile Alcaraz says he did not bend the rules by taking a medical timeout during his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev – who suggested the Spaniard had benefited from favouritism.
Spain’s Alcaraz seemed to be cramping at 5-4 in the third set and was allowed to see the physio, even though Grand Slam rules say players are not allowed medical timeouts for muscle spasms.
Players can take a three-minute timeout for physical injuries or illness but not for cramping, which is regarded as a conditioning problem rather than a medical issue.
Alcaraz, 22, went on to lose the set before winning a five-hout classic 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 as the Australian Open finally sparked into life.