Novak Djokovic produced one of the great comebacks of his career to defeat defending champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open semi-finals, recovering from two sets to one down to prevail after nearly four hours of play. The 38-year-old Serb, who had been written off by many before the match, will now face Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's final as he chases a record-extending 25th grand slam title.
Djokovic's victory, which ended shortly before 2am local time, made him the oldest man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open final. It also marked his 11th appearance in the Melbourne final and his 38th grand slam final overall, extending his all-time records in both categories. The win was his first over Sinner since 2023, ending the Italian's reign as two-time defending champion.
The match was the second five-set thriller of the day, following Alexander Zverev's earlier semi-final, and Djokovic acknowledged the demanding nature of the contest. "It feels surreal," he said. "Playing almost four hours, coming close to 2am. I'm reminiscing about playing Rafa in 2012. The quality of tennis was extremely high and I knew this was the only way to win against him."
Djokovic's path to the semi-final had been aided by luck, with Lorenzo Musetti retiring while leading by two sets in the previous round and Jakub Mensik withdrawing in round two. Yet against Sinner, he found a level not seen from him in years, saving his best tennis for the decisive final set. Tim Henman described it as "one of the most extraordinary matches I've ever seen."
Djokovic said he was already looking ahead to facing Alcaraz, who is aiming to complete the career grand slam. "I'm looking forward to seeing Carlos on Sunday, even though it feels as if I've won tonight," he said. "I hope I'll have enough gas to stay toe to toe with him."
