Novak Djokovic says he must give his “best performance” as he faces another Australian Open showdown with defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title appeared to be over when he fell two sets behind Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, but with the Italian withdrawing with a right leg injury, the 38-year-old was “extremely lucky” to advance.
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Djokovic has lost to Sinner in each of their last five meetings, including three Grand Slam semi-finals, and will need to improve if he is to end the second seed’s 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park. Sinner defeated Ben Shelton in straight sets to return to the semifinals.
Sinner will be seeking a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final against his rival Carlos Alcaraz, who will face third seed Alexander Zverev in the first semifinal on Friday.
Sinner defeated Djokovic in the 2024 semifinals, ending Djokovic’s 33-game winning streak at the Australian Open, and they will face off again in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner start time
After playing in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, Djokovic and Sinner will play the second match of the men’s semi-finals on Friday at 8:30am GMT (UK time). This semi-final will be between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
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Australian Open match order
Day 13 – Friday, January 30
No earlier than: 3:30am GMT
Carlos Alcaraz(ESP) [1] vs. Alexander Zverev (Germany) [3]
No earlier than: 8:30am GMT
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [4] vs. Jannik Sinner (ITA) [2]
Is the Australian Open on TV?
The game will be broadcast live online on TNT Sports and Discovery+ in the UK.
In the United States, ESPN and Tennis Channel will broadcast live.
Novak Djokovic VS Janik Sinner
The rivalry has completely flipped since Sinner saved match point to defeat Djokovic in the 2023 Davis Cup semifinals. Since then, Sinner has won five consecutive tour-level matches and two exhibition matches, leading 6-4 in official head-to-head matches. That includes three consecutive wins in Grand Slam semifinals, from the Australian Open to Roland Garros to Wimbledon.
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2025: Wimbledon, semifinals, outdoor grass – Sinner wins 6-3 6-3 6-4
2025: French Open, semi-finals, outdoor clay match – Sinner won 6-4 7-5 7-6(3)
2024: Shanghai Masters, final, outdoor hard court – Sinner wins 7-6(4) 6-3
2024: Australian Open, semi-finals, outdoor hard court – Sinner wins 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3
2023: Davis Cup final, semi-final, indoor hard court – Sinner won 6-2 2-6 7-5
2023: ATP Finals, final, indoor hard court – Djokovic wins 6-3 6-3
2023: ATP Finals, round robin, indoor hard court – Sinner wins 7-5 6-7(5) 7-6(2)
2023: Wimbledon, semifinals, outdoor grass – Djokovic wins 6-3 6-4 7-6(4)
2022: Wimbledon, quarterfinals, outdoor grass – Djokovic wins 5-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2
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2021: Monte Carlo, Round of 32, Outdoor Clay – Djokovic wins 6-4 6-2
What happened in the quarterfinals?
Novak Djokovic advanced to the semi-finals after his opponent Lorenzo Musetti was forced to withdraw injured two sets into the match.
The 23-year-old Italian fifth seed played some fine tennis as he led 6-4 6-3 in the match but began to struggle after noticing leg pain at the start of the second set. The problem worsened at the start of the third period, which prevented Musetti from running and he exited the game trailing 3-1.
“I don’t know what to say, except that I feel really sorry for him and he’s a better player,” Djokovic said. “I’m on my way home tonight. It’s so unfortunate to have to warm up in both sets in a Grand Slam quarter-final and be completely in control. There’s no doubt he should have been the winner today.”
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Jannik Sinner returned to the Australian Open semi-finals, defeating Ben Shelton 6-3 6-4 6-4 for his ninth consecutive victory over the American. “I felt like my movements were a little better again today. I felt physically stronger again,” Sinner said.
What does Novak Djokovic say about Jannik Sinner?
“I think I lost to him four or five times in a row, so now he’s playing at such a high level with Carlos. They’re two of the best players in the world.
“I mean, [he is the] An absolute favorite, but you never know. Hopefully I can put my best foot forward in that game because that’s what it takes to at least get a chance. I didn’t play my best today, so I have to change that.
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“Are they? [Sinner and Alcaraz] Better than me and everyone else now? Yes they are. I mean, the quality and level is amazing. it’s great. This is amazing.
“But does that mean I’m going to raise the white flag and quit? No. I’m going to fight to the last shot, to the last bit and try my best to challenge them.”
What does Jannik Sinner say about Novak Djokovic?
“At the level he’s at, I think he’s the most professional athlete in our locker room.
“I also try to be as professional as possible. He has a lot of experience. You see him on the pitch. He knows how to handle every situation in the best possible way.
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“Me, as a 24-year-old, I’m lucky to have a guy like him in front of me and I hope to learn something. I feel like every day, every time he plays, I learn something about him, about Carlos, about all the other great players.
“I think it’s a positive. I think the way he plays, the way he moves, if you’re not professional you can’t reach this level. He’s an inspiration to all of us, especially the younger players.”
