Djokovic's streak ends: Sinner secures first Grand Slam final spot at Australian Open

Posted : 26 January 2024

In a surprising turn of events at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic suffered his first defeat since 2018, bowing out to Italian fourth seed Jannik Sinner, who secured his maiden Grand Slam final appearance. The 36-year-old Serbian lost in four sets, with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. This defeat dashes Djokovic's hopes for an 11th title at the Australian Open and a 25th major, which would have set a new record, surpassing Margaret Court's achievement.

Sinner, aged 22, showcased remarkable resilience, bouncing back after missing a match point in the tie-break. He now awaits the winner between Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev and German sixth seed Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final. The clash between Medvedev and Zverev is scheduled for Friday's second semi-final at Melbourne Park.

Australian Open: Sinner stuns Djokovic to reach first Grand Slam final - PUNE.NEWS

The discussion surrounding Djokovic's defeat often revolves around his exceptional qualities—technique, fitness, and mindset. However, a significant contributing factor appears to be a newfound assertiveness among his opponents. Djokovic had an impressive 33-match winning streak in Melbourne, a record that stood since his loss to Chung Hyeon six years ago. Sinner entered the match with confidence, having defeated Djokovic twice in recent encounters at the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals.

Despite these victories, the challenge of triumphing over Djokovic in a five-set format remained uncharted territory for Sinner. His growth was evident in the way he dismantled Djokovic, applying relentless pressure from the beginning, forcing uncharacteristic errors and denying any break points. Reflecting on his victory, Sinner acknowledged the toughness of the match, stating, "I felt like he wasn't feeling that great, so I kept pushing." Drawing lessons from his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat in 2022, Sinner emphasized that the experience is part of his ongoing development.

With Djokovic out of the competition, a new name is guaranteed to adorn the Australian Open men's singles trophy. While both Sinner and Zverev are first-time finalists, 27-year-old Medvedev, a two-time runner-up, seeks to clinch the title after losses to Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022. Sinner expressed his joy and confidence, stating, "The confidence from the end of last season has kept the belief I can play against the best players in the world, and I'm really happy I can play in my first final."

Djokovic's streak ends: Sinner secures first Grand Slam final spot at Australian Open

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