Novak Djokovic rolled back the years with a remarkable five-set victory over defending champion Jannik Sinner to book a blockbuster Australian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz in Melbourne, keeping his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title alive.
The 38-year-old Serb overcame world number two Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a gripping semi-final at Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic will now face top seed Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final.
A victory over Alcaraz, who is 16 years his junior, would see Djokovic claim an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam crown, breaking his tie with Australia’s Margaret Court on 24 majors. Court was present in the stands to witness the epic encounter.
Sinner, chasing a third consecutive Australian Open title, made a fast start by breaking Djokovic early to surge into a 3-0 lead. The Italian maintained his dominance to take the opening set with clinical serving and precise groundstrokes.
Djokovic responded in the second set, breaking serve for a 3-1 lead and saving three break points to extend his advantage. A fierce crosscourt forehand on set point brought the match level.
The momentum swung again in the third set as Djokovic appeared physically troubled, briefly clutching his chest before sitting heavily during a changeover. Sinner capitalized, converting his second break point at 5-4 to regain the lead.
Despite the late hour and physical strain, Djokovic refused to fade. He broke early in the fourth set to force a decider, as the contest stretched beyond midnight.
In the fifth set, Sinner missed several chances to break, and Djokovic pounced, breaking for a crucial 4-3 lead before serving to stay ahead.
Sinner saved two match points at 4-5, but Djokovic sealed victory on his third opportunity, advancing to his 11th Australian Open final. The former world number one remains the most successful player in Melbourne Park history, with 10 titles.
In the other semi-final, Alcaraz battled past Germany’s third seed Alexander Zverev in another five-set epic, overcoming fitness concerns to reach the final.
Djokovic, whose last Grand Slam title came at 2023 US Open, has endured a challenging tournament, benefitting from retirements in earlier rounds.
However, his gritty display against Sinner underlined that he still has the resilience and hunger to challenge the new generation at the sport’s biggest stage.
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