October 6, 2024
Jannik Sinner beats Novak Djokovic the 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 in the semifinals to become first Italian player to reach an Australian Open final on Friday.
The 22-year-old Italian defeated the world No. 1 in four sets to snap his 33-match win streak and booked his place at his first major of the year and also for a maiden appearance at grand slam final.
“It was a very, very tough match. I started off really well,” Sinner told Jim Courier in his on-court interview. “For two sets, I felt like he was not feeling that great on court so I just tried to keep pushing. Then in the third set I had match point and I missed the forehand, but this is tennis.
“I just tried to be ready also for the next set, which I started off really well. And obviously the atmosphere was so great to play here.”
“I was looking forward to this match,” said Sinner. “It’s always nice to have this kind of player who you can learn from. I lost [to Djokovic] last year in the semis in Wimbledon, so I think I learned a lot from that. It’s all a part of the process.”
In ending Djokovic’s 33-match Melbourne winning streak and handing him his first AO defeat since 2018, Sinner extended a scorching run of his own: He has now won 19 of his past 20 matches dating back to October, though his streak of 17 consecutive sets won at this Australian Open came to an end.
Despite the defeat, Djokovic will remain No. 1 in the next edition of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Sinner could rise to a career-high of No. 3 if he wins his first major title and Daniil Medvedev loses to Alexander Zverev in Friday’s second semi-final.
With the victory, Sinner becomes the youngest player to reach the finals of the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic when he was aged 22 in 2008.
This will also be the first Australian Open final without Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic since 2005.
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