Djokovic vs Sinner: Jan. 26 Jannik Sinner drew inspiration from his defeat at Wimbledon 2023 to secure a stunning victory over No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne, propelling him to his inaugural Grand Slam final.
The Italian, seeded fourth, is set to face either No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia or No. 6 Alexander Zverev of Germany in the men’s singles final on Sunday at Melbourne Park.
“I’m at a loss for words,” expressed Sinner during the ESPN broadcast. “I made sure to come here fully prepared. The confidence I gained towards the end of last year has undoubtedly instilled the belief that I can compete against the world’s top players.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to play in my first final on Sunday.”
In his triumph at Rod Laver Arena on Friday, Sinner demonstrated his prowess by accumulating a remarkable tally of nine aces, 31 winners, and successfully converting 5 out of 11 break points. The final scoreline of 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 truly reflects his exceptional performance.
Djokovic expressed his disappointment to the reporters, admitting that he was completely outplayed during the match. He confessed that he was taken aback by his own performance, as he struggled to find his rhythm in the first two sets. Reflecting on the match, he considered it to be one of the poorest performances he has ever had in a Grand Slam tournament.
In the opening set, Sinner managed to break Djokovic’s serve twice, whereas Djokovic could only secure a single game on his own serve. Continuing his dominance, Sinner broke Djokovic’s serve two more times in the second set, establishing a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
As the third set unfolded, both Djokovic and Sinner displayed remarkable resilience, successfully holding their serves for twelve games. This deadlock led to a tiebreak, where Djokovic emerged victorious with an 8-6 score, momentarily reclaiming the momentum. However, his determined opponent quickly bounced back from this setback.
In the third set, Jannik Sinner maintained his serve in the initial three games, securing a 2-1 advantage. Subsequently, he managed to break Djokovic for the fifth time and successfully held his serve in the fifth game, resulting in a commanding 4-1 lead. The match concluded with a remarkable forehand return from Sinner, directed into the right corner, causing Djokovic to struggle in reaching the ball.
Jannik Sinner’s triumph put an end to Djokovic’s impressive 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open. Prior to this, Djokovic had emerged victorious in the tournament for four consecutive years.
Sinner, who initially faced a 0-3 record against Djokovic, has now turned the tables with a 3-1 record in their last four encounters. Overall, he holds a 3-4 record against the top-ranked men’s player.
In terms of Grand Slam meetings, Sinner has a 1-2 record against Djokovic, including a loss in the Wimbledon semifinals of 2023. Djokovic dominated the first two sets, winning 6-3, 6-4. However, Sinner managed to push the final set to a tiebreak, which Djokovic ultimately claimed with a score of 7-6(4).
Sinner reflected on his previous experience, stating, “In Wimbledon last year, I unfortunately lost in the semifinals. However, I believe that I gained valuable lessons from that defeat. It’s an integral part of my growth as a player. I am genuinely delighted to celebrate this victory with my team.”
Catch the men’s singles final live on ESPN at 3:30 a.m. EST this Sunday.
Read More: Australian Open 2024: Alcaraz’s Thrilling Run Cut Short by Zverev’s Dominance