Here’s the Australian Open trend-breaker: Novak Djokovic will not win the men’s singles in the year’s first grand slam tournament. Jannik Sinner brutally stopped the Serbian world number one in the semi-finals.
Friday’s first men’s semi-final at the Australian Open became a rare story.
For this human, the tennis world has almost never seen Novak Djokovic in the heaviest matches. The Serb is usually a monster when it contracts in the grand slam tournaments, but the semi-final against Jannik Sinner was a big exception.
Sinner cracked the world number one after a sparkling performance and won 3–1 in sets (6–1, 6–2, 6–7, 6–3) and is ready for his first career grand slam final.
– It was tough, but I noticed that Novak was not that strong in the first two sets and I just tried to press on, says Sinner in the victory interview on Eurosport’s broadcast.
Caption Novak Djokovic missed the chance to claim his 25th grand slam title.
Image: EPA-EFE
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic was a shadow of his best self on center court in Melbourne. The Serbian spread the balls around and was responsible for countless simple mistakes – while Sinner never trembled.
The Italian burned a match point in the third set, but showed no nerves in the fourth set as he served home the match.
– He played me completely. In a way, I was shocked at my low level. I didn’t have many rights in two sets and this was one of my very worst grand slam efforts – at least of those that I remember, Djokovic said according to the AP.
New champion in Melbourne
It’s only been a couple of months since Sinner broke Djokovic twice in a short space of time – partly in the group stage of the ATP Finals, partly in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
In the biggest head-to-head matches, however, Sinner has always been beaten by Djokovic: the final of the ATP playoffs last year and the last two editions of Wimbledon.
Now came the trend break for Sinner, and it also came on Djokovic’s favorite arena.
– The semi-final loss in WImbledon last year taught me a good lesson and I showed it now. I don’t really know why my game suits Novak. I tried to get him moving and it feels good to stand here as a winner.
The Serbian is the all-time most successful player at the Australian Open with ten singles titles. He has won four of the last five years – in 2022, Djokovic was not allowed to play because he had not been vaccinated for covid-19.
On Sunday, the tennis world will crown a new Australian Open champion. For the past nine years, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have completely dominated in Melbourne, but now Sinner will play the final and face Daniil Medvedev.
– I have gained a lot of confidence from the end of last season and it will be a lot of fun to play my first grand slam final. Now I can sit back relaxed in front of the second semi-final.
Medvedev secured his final place by defeating Alexander Zverev in an entertaining semi-final 3–2 in sets. Zverev took the first two sets but then Medvedev turned the match around.
– I lost myself a bit in the first sets and in the third I felt a bit tired. It was about playing aggressively and I told myself that if it doesn’t go my way, I still did my best. I am very satisfied and happy right now.
– Jannik Sinner has impressed in the tournament and now I have to recover for the final, says Medvedev in his victory interview.
