Djokovic defeats Sinner to book Australian Open Alcaraz showdown
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will contest the men’s singles final at the Australian Open on Sunday night, with both players chasing major milestones after surviving gruelling semifinal victories.
Djokovic, 38, reached his first Australian Open final since 2023 by defeating two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in five sets, ending a run of five consecutive losses to the Italian.
The Serbian is bidding for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title and would become the oldest men’s champion in the Open Era if successful.
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“I knew exactly what was expect[ed of] me on the court, and I came out with the right great clarity and strategy and game plan,” Djokovic said.
“[It’s] one thing to imagine how you want to play, and the other thing is to deliver it and execute it on the court against Sinner that we all know is playing an extremely high level.
“Big win, very proud, very happy, very relieved as well, because it was physically very demanding and gruelling.
“I’m just thrilled to be able to experience something like this tonight.”
Alcaraz, the world No. 1, advanced to his first Melbourne final after overcoming Alexander Zverev in the longest men’s semi-final in tournament history. The 22-year-old is seeking his seventh major title and a victory would complete the career Grand Slam, making him the youngest man to do so.
“I knew what I had to do. I had to put my heart into the match. I think I did it,” Alcaraz said.
Both players endured marathon matches that stretched late into the night at Melbourne Park, raising questions over recovery ahead of the final at Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic said he would skip training to focus on recovery, while Alcaraz described his semi-final win as one of the toughest of his career.
Alcaraz has been installed the 1.29 favourite by tennis betting sites, with Djokovic priced at 3.62, with the champion veteran facing another mountain to conquer on Sunday.
