Serbia’s Novak Djokovic greets Italy’s Jannik Sinner after winning their men’s singles semi-final match on day thirteen of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. (Photo by DavidD Gray / AFP)
Melbourne, Australia: Novak Djokovic stunned reigning champion Jannik Sinner early Saturday to set up a blockbuster Australian Open final with Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard survived a five-set clash of his own with Alexander Zverev.
The 38-year-old Serbian great turned back the clock to keep alive his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam crown by upsetting the Italian 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a gruelling 4hrs 9mins on Rod Laver Arena.
World number one Alcaraz needed even longer to tame Zverev, spending a titanic 5hrs 27mins on court, overcoming cramping and a fifth-set deficit to win 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5.
“I’m lost for words right now, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who dropped to his knees and was emotional when the match ended. “It feels surreal.”
Djokovic had lost his last five encounters with Sinner and thanked him for “allowing me at least one win in the last couple of years”.
“I have tremendous respect for him, he pushed me to the limit,” he added.
“The level of intensity, and I guess the quality of tennis, was extremely high, and I knew that was the only way for me to have a chance to win tonight.”
The win propelled Djokovic into a 39th Grand Slam final and made him the oldest man in the Open era to reach the title match in Melbourne, where he has won 10 times.
It will be his first finals appearance since Wimbledon in 2024.
Djokovic has been trying to move past Margaret Court — who was in the stadium watching — and clinch a landmark 25th major since his last one at the US Open in 2023.
It has proved increasingly difficult with the emergence of Sinner and Alcaraz, who have shared every Slam title since then.
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