The Italian Jannik Sinner, world number four, has made a splash at the Australian Open by eliminating Novak Djokovic (1) by a resounding 1-6, 2-6, 7-6 (6), 3-6 in three hours and 22 minutes. The Serbian says goodbye to his favorite tournament and will have to wait to expand his record of 24 Grand Slams.
At only 22 years old, Sinner will play his first major final to the surprise of the public, who had already become accustomed to seeing Djokovic win on their courts. It is the first time that the Serbian has lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open, a tournament he has won ten times during his career.
The Balkan’s streak at the Rod Laver Arena came to an end, after five years and 33 matches without losing at the Australian Open. Djokovic, who missed the 2022 edition, was eight wins away from equaling the record of the Swede Bjorn Borg, who was able to win 41 in a row at Wimbledon.
Now Jannik Sinner, the first Italian in both men and women to play in the Melbourne final, will have to play for the title against the winner of the duel between the Russian Daniil Medvedev and the German Alexander Zverev.
Sinner was confirmed as the fifth Italian tennis player to play in a slam final, joining his compatriots Nicola Pietrangi, Matteo Berrettini, Giorgio de Stefani and Adriano Panatta.
