Serbian tennis ace, Novak Djokovic delivered a firm reminder of his staying power after edging past Jannik Sinner in a demanding Australian Open semi-final, then addressed the doubts that have followed him in recent years. The 38-year-old said talk of retirement has only sharpened his focus as he moved to within one win of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic secured his place in Sunday’s final with a five-set win over the double defending champion and world number 2 Sinner, prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4 in a contest that stretched into the early hours in Melbourne. Speaking after the 5-and-a-half hour-long thriller, he reflected on the scrutiny he has faced, particularly after questions were raised earlier in the tournament about his fitness and future.
Australian Open, Djokovic vs Sinner: Highlights
“I never stopped believing in myself, you know. There’s a lot of people that doubt me. I see there is a lot of experts all of a sudden that wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years,” Djokovic told reporters.
“I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. For me, it’s not a surprise, to be honest.”
Djokovic acknowledged that the path to the semi-finals had not been smooth. He benefited from Lorenzo Musetti’s injury retirement in the previous round, but stressed that his victory over Sinner was earned through execution rather than circumstance.
“I know what I’m capable of. I’ve had many, many times in my career matches during the Grand Slam where it’s just one of those days where you’re not feeling your best,” he said.
“You try to find a way to win with everything that you possibly have, even though the quality of tennis is not even close to where you want it to be. So that was the case, you know?”
Winning with experience: Djokovic’s mantra
The Serbian great said preparation and clarity were crucial against an opponent who has had the upper hand in recent meetings.
“I came out with great clarity about the strategy and game plan that needed to be executed,” Djokovic added.
“One thing is to imagine how you want to play, and the other thing is to deliver it and execute it on the court against Sinner, who we all know is playing an extremely high level.”
Before this match, Sinner had beaten Djokovic in their last five encounters, adding to the belief that the balance of power had shifted toward the younger generation led by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic’s win helped reset that narrative, even if the margins were fine.
“He’s won 24 Grand Slams. We know each other very well, how we play… I’m not surprised because I feel like he’s the greatest player for many, many years and, of course, he’s playing less tournaments because of his age and everything. But, we also know how important Grand Slams are for me, for him, for Carlos, for everyone. You know, there’s this extra motivation. He played great tennis and, hopefully, I can also take it as a lesson to see what I can improve on,” Sinner said on Djokovic in the post-match press conference.
With the semi-final finishing well past midnight and the earlier match on the same day lasting nearly five and a half hours, recovery time is limited ahead of Sunday’s final against Alcaraz. Still, Djokovic remains focused on finding ways to win, and more so with a 25th Grand Slam title now within reach.
– Ends
