Jannik Sinner beats Novak Djokovic in Australian Open semifinals to reach first Grand Slam final

Jannik Sinner had won two of his last three meetings with Novak Djokovic, and the Italian has struck again, beating the 24-time Grand Slam champion—and 10-time Australian Open champion—in the semifinals in Melbourne in a four-set stunner, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3.

Djokovic hadn’t lost a match at the Australian Open in more than six years, since falling to South Korea’s Chung Hyeon in the fourth round in 2018, and he had never lost a semifinal at the first Grand Slam of the year either, going a perfect 10-0 in this round before this loss.

But Sinner was ruthless from start to finish, and the 22-year-old Italian is now through to the first Grand Slam final of his career.

“It was a very, very tough match,” Sinner told Jim Courier in his on-court interview. “I started off really well. For two sets I felt like he was not really feeling that great on court, so I just tried to keep pushing.

“Then in the third set I had match point and I missed the forehand, but this is tennis, and I just tried to be ready for the next set, which I started off really well, and the atmosphere was so, so great to play here.

“I was looking forward for this match. It’s always nice to have this kind of player you can learn from. I lost to him last year in the semis in Wimbledon, so I think I learned a lot from that. It’s part of the process.”

Not only did Sinner pull off the upset of the tournament, but he made history for his home country—he’s the first Italian tennis player, male or female, ever to reach the final of the Australian Open.

Eight Italians had previously reached Grand Slam finals, but only at the other three Grand Slams, and never in Melbourne.

ITALIANS TO REACH GRAND SLAM FINALS (all-time):
~ Nicola Pietrangeli: 4 Roland Garros finals [1959, 1960, 1961, 1964]
~ Francesca Schiavone: 2 Roland Garros finals [2010, 2011]
~ Giorgio de Stefani: 1 Roland Garros final [1932]
~ Adriano Panatta: 1 Roland Garros final [1976]
~ Sara Errani: 1 Roland Garros final [2012]
~ Flavia Pennetta: 1 US Open final [2015]
~ Roberta Vinci: 1 US Open final [2015]
~ Matteo Berrettini: 1 Wimbledon final [2021]
~ Jannik Sinner: 1 Australian Open final [2024]

A stunned Rod Laver Arena crowd watched on as Sinner absolutely cruised past Djokovic in the first two sets in just over an hour, with Sinner’s game on song—he hit just eight unforced errors across those two sets—while Djokovic struggled to find his range, hitting more than twice as many unforced errors as winners, 29 to 11.

But the 24-time Grand Slam winner and world No. 1 began working his way back into the match in the third set, staying on serve through the tie-break, and then—after staving off a match point down 6-5—sneaking out the breaker to push the match to a fourth set.

Sinner regrouped right away, though, breaking early in the fourth for 3-1 and staying out in front from there, eventually serving it out—and finishing off a signature victory with one last forehand winner.

With his latest victory over the world No. 1, Sinner has now won nine of his last 10 matches against Top 5-ranked players:

~ d. No. 2 Alcaraz in 2023 Beijing SFs, 7-6 (4), 6-1
~ d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 Beijing F, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2)
~ d. No. 5 Rublev in 2023 Vienna SFs, 7-5, 7-6 (5)
~ d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 Vienna F, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3
~ d. No. 1 Djokovic in 2023 ATP Finals RR, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2)
~ d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 ATP Finals SFs, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1
~ l. to No. 1 Djokovic in 2023 ATP Finals F, 6-3, 6-3
~ d. No. 1 Djokovic in 2023 Davis Cup SFs, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
~ d. No. 5 Rublev in 2024 Australian Open QFs, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3
~ d. No. 1 Djokovic in 2024 Australian Open SFs, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3

Awaiting the No. 4-ranked Italian in the final in Melbourne will be either No. 3-ranked Daniil Medvedev or No. 6-ranked Alexander Zverev.