Novak Djokovic is one match away from a 25th Grand Slam title and an 11th Australian Open after producing perhaps the greatest performance of his career to defeat Jannik Sinner.
In 2024 and 2025, Djokovic looked a step behind the two best players in the world. But he summoned up all his genius and all his experience to snap a five-match losing streak against Sinner, beating him 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a match which concluded at 1.35am local time.
And now he must do it all again, with Carlos Alcaraz awaiting in the final. That match on Sunday will be one of the biggest in tennis history: the Spaniard aiming to become the youngest man to complete the set of all four major titles, Djokovic bidding to become the first player – man or woman – to win 25 Grand Slams.
To put this victory into perspective, a few facts: Sinner had won this title in the last two years. He had made the final of the last six consecutive Slams. He had won his last nine consecutive sets against Djokovic.
‘I’m lost for words right now,’ said Djokovic on court. ‘It feels surreal to be honest. Playing almost four hours, reminiscing in 2012, I played Rafa in the final that was six hours. The level of intensity was extremely high and I knew that was my only chance to win against him tonight.
‘He won the last five matches against me. He had my mobile number – so I had to change my number.’
What unfolded on semi-finals Friday in Melbourne was surely the greatest day the Australian Open has ever seen. First Alcaraz went from barely being able to walk due to cramp to beating Alexander Zverev in the longest semi-final match in the history of the tournament – five hours and 27 minutes.
And then Djokovic and Sinner took to the stage. The 38-year-old Serb reached the semis of all four Slams last season, retiring hurt against Zverev here and losing to either Sinner or Alcaraz in the other three. In every match, he was to some extent enfeebled by injury.
He has been waiting for an opportunity for his body to allow him to take on Sinner with all his might. And so, after two injuries to his opponents in Australia left him with plenty of gas in the tank, the master unveiled his masterplan.
Djokovic threw every atom of body and soul at Sinner, stepping way outside his comfort zone and blasting the ball harder than he ever has. He went harder than ever on his second serve, too, firing it into the Sinner forehand.
When he lost the first set, and again when he lost the third, it felt like this would be a noble effort but ultimately in vain.
He appeared to be struggling physically, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.
But what he produced in the fourth and fifth set was beyond belief and beyond all logic. Once again in the career of this extraordinary athlete, we simply had to bow down before genius.
Sinner came at him at the start of the fifth set, Djokovic twice coming from 15-40 down to hold serve. He broke at 3-3 and then came the decisive game of the match. With Djokovic serving at 4-3, Sinner sent a barrage of groundstrokes at him to bring up three break points at 0-40. Sweat pouring off him, flirting with the shot-clock before every serve, Djokovic ticked those break points off one by one and then held.
The drama and tension continued right to the end. Djokovic missed two match points, the second a sitter of a forehand on top of the net, but he was not to be denied.
It will take some time for Sinner to work out how he lost this match. Incredibly, he won 12 more points than Djokovic – 152 to 140. He hit 26 aces to Djokovic’s 12, and served fewer double faults. He landed his first serve at a higher clip. He hit 72 winners to 46 and they were level on unforced errors. He had 18 break points to Djokovic’s eight.
But the magic of tennis is that it is not about how many points you win; it is about which points you win, and no one has ever mastered the intricacies of that unique scoring system better than Djokovic.
