MELBOURNE, Jan 30 – Novak Djokovic channeled his vast experience to overcome Jannik Sinner in a gripping five-set semifinal, earning a spot in the Australian Open final against top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard endured a grueling five-hour-plus battle to outlast Alexander Zverev earlier in the evening.
Djokovic’s Comeback Triumph
Djokovic, the 10-time champion at Melbourne Park, secured a 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sinner, the two-time defending champion, in the early hours of Saturday. At nearly 39 years old, Djokovic surpassed Ken Rosewall’s record as the oldest man to reach a professional-era Grand Slam final. This win also ended a five-match skid against Sinner, who had halted him in the semifinals of the previous four majors.
Drawing on two decades of Grand Slam know-how and mental resilience, Djokovic withstood Sinner’s aggressive returns. The Italian squandered eight break points in the decisive fifth set. “I had my chances… Many break points, couldn’t use them,” Sinner admitted. “He came up with some great shots. I know he’s won 24 Grand Slams. We know each other very well, how we play. I feel like he’s the greatest player for many, many years.”
Djokovic eyes an 11th Australian Open title and a record 25th major overall in the upcoming clash with Alcaraz, who clinched his semifinal 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 after 5 hours and 27 minutes—the longest semifinal in tournament history.
Alcaraz’s Marathon Endurance Test
Alcaraz battled severe leg cramps to deny Zverev, the previous year’s runner-up. Leading two sets to love, Alcaraz called for a medical timeout at 4-4 in the third set to address his right thigh issue. Zverev protested to officials, citing rules against timeouts for cramps, but Alcaraz persisted after sipping pickle juice.
He dropped the next two sets but unleashed brilliant shot-making to force a fifth. A double fault handed Zverev an early edge, yet Alcaraz rallied spectacularly, saving multiple break points and seizing the final three games. Exhausted, Zverev faltered while serving for the match at 5-4.
Collapsing in relief upon victory, Alcaraz highlighted self-belief as crucial. “I always say you have to believe in yourself no matter what,” he stated. “I was struggling in the middle of the third set. Physically it was one of the most demanding matches I’ve played in my short career. But I’ve been in this situation before. I had to put my heart into the match. I did it and fought until the last ball… I’m extremely proud of that and the way I came back in the fifth set.”
Both finalists pushed their limits physically, with vomiting incidents during play. Djokovic joked about the late finish post-match, telling Alcaraz, “I’m an old man, I need to go earlier to sleep,” while expressing excitement for their showdown in a couple of days. At a tournament light on surprises, these semifinals delivered high drama.
