A 38-year-old Novak Djokovic became the oldest Australian Open men’s finalist of all time after ending defending champion Jannik Sinner’s winning run in another five-set epic to set up a final with world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic will bid for the standalone record of 25 grand slam titles, and his first in 18 months, on Sunday after producing a vintage performance against the 24-year-old Sinner, who had won his last five matches against Djokovic and his last 19 in a row at this tournament.
In doing so, Djokovic battled from two sets to one down, denying Sinner a fourth consecutive grand slam final against his rival Alcaraz, and proving that he remains a contender for the biggest titles in a match where he began as the major underdog.
Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th grand slam title looked to be over as he trailed Lorenzo Musetti by two sets in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, but Djokovic admitted he was on his way home and “extremely lucky” to progress as the Italian retired with a right leg injury.
Earlier, Alcaraz downed third seed Alexander Zverev in a thriller to book a place in his first Australian Open final. The Spaniard led by two sets to love before being derailed by a sudden onset of cramp, with Zverev roaring back to win the next two sets on tie-breaks to force a decider – but Alcaraz dragged himself back from the brink to keep his hopes of becoming the youngest man to complete the career grand slam alive.
He will now look to recover ahead of what will be a historic occasion on Sunday.
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Djokovic’s finest win ever? McEnroe makes the argument
Djokovic tells the press: “To be honest, I wouldn’t dare to call it ‘ever’, ‘finest ever’, but definitely the finest in the last couple of years.
“Under the circumstances and semis, against Sinner who has been playing the best tennis of his life in the last couple of years – particularly here, two-time defending champion – it doesn’t get better than this.
“Honestly, when I started my preparations for the new season and kind of set the goals, it’s no secret that grand slams are where I want to play my best tennis, but it becomes… I guess, more difficult for me to motivate myself.
“I ask myself questions. ‘Ok, what is it that I’m looking for from myself?’ I was imagining really playing against Jannik and Carlos at the final stages of grand slams this year and battling it out and really giving it all that I have.
“So, very fortunate to already get it in the first slam of the year! Yeah, big win, very proud, very happy, very relieved, as well – because it was physically very demanding and gruelling.”
How Djokovic proved us all wrong in vintage comeback
As Novak Djokovic turned his attention to his latest showdown with Jannik Sinner, he heard something that would end up flipping this Australian Open upside down. In the post-match press conference that followed his quarter-final with Lorenzo Musetti, where Djokovic admitted he was preparing to head home before the Italian retired from two sets up, he bristled at the wording of a question that asked him to compare how he felt “chasing” Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the start of his career to how he feels now, with Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner dominating.
Djokovic stopped. The wording of the question, he said, was “disrespectful” in leaving out the decade in between where he had been the dominant force. Suddenly, he had that fire in his eye. “I’m going to fight until the last shot, until the last point, and do my very best to challenge them,” Djokovic said.
Two nights later, at close to 2am in Melbourne, Djokovic rose to the challenge as he produced a vintage performance and one of the wins of his career in dethroning the Australian Open champion.
Sinner won more points than Djokovic across five sets!
Was it a matter of not winning enough of the big points, though?
Sinner: “Yeah, I mean, especially in the end.
“I was holding a little bit easier, and he was struggling a bit to hold, you know. [I had] many break points.
“So yeah, I mean, I kind of knew that I made more points than him, but in the same time: it’s quite irrelevant if we see the score.”
Was there a trend to Sinner’s eight wasted break points in fifth set?
Sinner: “I don’t want to say all eight break points. Yeah, I mean, most of the time he served very well, so you know, you also have to say that.
“I had my chances, I was in the rallies a couple of times. I missed the shots, and it can happen. You know, that’s tennis, and that’s how tennis works.
“Also great serving, and then give him also a lot, a lot of credit how he played today.”
What was different about Djokovic today, compared to recent matches vs Sinner?
Sinner: “Every match is different. There is not…
“You cannot compare any match – if, you know, Roland Garros or Wimby was different. Here was different again.
“Yeah, you cannot compare.”
Was Sinner surprised by Djokovic’s level today?
Sinner: “I mean, I know he’s won 24 grand slams.
“You know, we know each other very well, how we play. I always said, you know, never – how you say – ‘surprised’, no, because I feel like he’s the greatest player for many, many years.
“Of course, he’s playing less tournaments because of his age and everything, but we also know how important grand slams are for me, for him, for Carlos, and everyone.
“You know, there is this small extra motivation, and he played great tennis. Hopefully I can see some, take it also kind of as a lesson maybe to see what I can improve on.”
When did Sinner start to feel Djokovic take control?
Sinner tells the press: “There is not one moment, to be honest. I had my chances.
“It was in the fifth set. Many break points, couldn’t use them. He came up with some great shots.
“Yeah, I mean, I decided sometimes [to try] a couple of different things. Today they didn’t work, but that’s how tennis is.
“I mean, I felt like also the first set was a great level, you know, from both of us. It was a bit a rollercoaster, and it happened like it happened today.”
How much did today’s defeat hurt Sinner?
Sinner tells the press: “Yeah, a lot. I mean, it was… you know, a very important slam for me of course – you know, knowing also the background.
“It can happen. It was good match from both of us. Yeah, I had many chances, couldn’t use them, and that’s the outcome.
“Yeah, it hurts, for sure.”
Djokovic snaps two of Sinner’s most-impressive streaks
In beating Sinner today, Djokovic ended two of the Italian’s standout winning runs:
Sinner had won his last five matches against Djokovic, and his last 19 in a row at the Australian Open.
How’s stat?
Djokovic vs Alcaraz set up by two semi-finals for the ages
Which match did you prefer?
Alcaraz’s five-and-a-half hour duel with Zverev, in which he blew a two-set lead but showed immense composure to get over the line?
Or Djokovic’s vintage performance to outlast Sinner in just over four hours, with the Serb fighting from behind twice?
Two classics today!
