Djokovic beats Sinner, faces Alcaraz for 11th Aussie Open title | OneFootball

The experience of Novak Djokovic (world No. 4) ultimately prevailed over the current form of Jannik Sinner (No. 4). The Serbian, 14 years older, secured a marathon five-set victory (3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, and 6-4) and qualified for the Australian Open final for the eleventh time. A living legend who, in 2026, wants to continue making history: he will play his 38th Grand Slam final and is aiming for his 25th title.

At the start, the match was largely favorable for the 24-year-old player from San Candido, who came out determined and aggressive. Just as the match began, he broke Nole's serve, who is 38, in his first service game and from there, set the pace and controlled the game's timing.

The Balkan player started off cold and was trying to find his footing, but he struggled to maintain the depth of his opponent's shots. He was outplayed from the baseline, his most comfortable zone and where he is most damaging, and the urgency of the moment led him to explore other resources from his vast repertoire to unsettle Sinner: he varied tactics, approached the net more frequently, and found a momentary respite there, enough to take the second set.

With the score tied, there was a paradigm shift. Djokovic appeared more confident with his baseline shots, but the physical effort began to take its toll, leaving him breathless in several exchanges. Noticing his opponent's demeanor, the Italian opted to execute more drop shots, with the clear goal of forcing him into longer movements and thus taking advantage by overcoming his resistance.

He achieved this with a break in the tenth game, against a Nole with his head down and hands on his knees, all signs of physical limitation. However, when the match seemed to have a foregone conclusion, those breathing issues were set aside in the fourth set: Djokovic recovered after the break and showcased his best tennis to take the match to the fifth and final set.

In moments of tension and nervousness, experience counts. Indeed, it happened: the Italian had many break opportunities, but the lack of effectiveness in that area proved fatal. In contrast, the Belgrade legend, who came into the match fresh after not playing in the fourth round due to Mensik's withdrawal and advancing to the semifinals due to Musetti's retirement, moved with ease, found hidden angles and seized his chance at 3-3. Thus, he secured a majestic victory after four hours of action. "He plays so well that not everything depends on me," Djokovic had said before the match. But he forgot that he does too.

The 10-time winner at Melbourne Park ended a negative streak of five consecutive defeats against the protégé of Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, interrupted his 19-match winning streak on this ground, and will once again play the final of the oceanic championship in search of the 25th Grand Slam of his career.

His opponent will be the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, ranked No. 1, who defeated the German Alexander Zverev (No. 3) in an epic match lasting nearly five and a half hours.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.