[ad_1]
When asked about facing Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final, Djokovic joked that he felt like he’d already won the tournament after such an epic semi-final. That’s coming from the man who’s going for his 25th grand slam trophy, and 11th at Melbourne Park.
“It feels surreal, to be honest,” he said straight after the match in his on-court interview.
“It was over four hours, [finishing at] almost 2am… the level of intensity, and I guess the quality of tennis, was extremely high, and I knew that that was the only way for me to have a chance to win tonight against him [Sinner].
“He’s won the last five matches against me. He had my mobile number, so I had to change my number for tonight… But all jokes aside, I told him at the net, ‘Thanks for allowing me at least one, you know, in the last couple of years’.
“He’s an incredible player. He pushes you to the very limit, which is what he did tonight to me.”
It was a men’s semi-final day that won’t soon be forgotten. The first semi-final began in the middle hours of Friday afternoon, and the second finished in the early hours of Saturday morning. It’s just the fifth time since the tournament moved to Melbourne Park in 1988 that both men’s semi-finals went to five sets.
Djokovic did show signs of fatigue, at times appearing to double over in between points midway through the third set.
But, as has been the case so often before, the pain only seemed to further inspire him.
He miraculously saved eight break points early in the fifth set, serving phenomenally under pressure and playing aggressively from the back of the court.
Djokovic paid tribute to the crowd after the match, praising the majority of Rod Laver Arena fans who had come to support him.
“I love our passionate relationship,” he said with a smile.
“Every year, [it’s] something different.
Sinner was outplayed by a man 14 years his senior.Credit: Eddie Jim
“Tonight it has been one of, if not the best, nights atmosphere-wise, support-wise I ever had in Australia for sure.”
An exhausted Sinner was in equal parts frustrated in his own failure to convert key opportunities, and full of praise for his opponent.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster,” he said.
“We know each other very well, [and] how we play. I always say don’t be surprised because he’s the greatest player for many, many years, and of course he’s playing less tournaments because of his age, but we also know how important grand slams are for me, for him, for Carlos [Alcaraz], and everyone.
“Hopefully, I can use it as a lesson to see what I can improve.”
Djokovic set up a mouthwatering match-up with world No.1 Alcaraz on Sunday night. The Spanish sensation is bidding to become the youngest player ever to complete the career grand slam.
The two played twice in 2025. Djokovic beat Alcaraz in four sets in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, but most recently the Spaniard was far too good in a US Open semi-final; winning in straight sets.
Djokovic won his first slam at Melbourne Park in 2008, when he defeated Frenchman Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in four sets. When that match was played, Alcaraz was still waiting to celebrate his fifth birthday.
[ad_2]
