Jannik Sinner surrenders to an eternal Novak Djokovic who returns to Australian Open final

Jannik Sinner misses his appointment with a third consecutive final at the Australian Open. The world and seeded number two, in fact, surrendered to world and seeded number four Novak Djokovic. The 24-time Slam champion won a four-hour, nine-minute battle with a final score of 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. Three years after’the last time, Nole returns to the final in Melbourne where he will face Carlos Alcaraz, world and seeded number one, who overcame Alexander Zverev in the first semifinal at the end of a crazy challenge.

Luca Giorgetti

Sinner started very well on serve with five firsts out of five. In the second game l’Azzurro thanks also to a splendid backhand pass in the long line gets the first break points of the match: Djokovic is too foul and with another forehand error loses the serve. Jannik continues to serve very well and with a couple of aces goes up 3-0. In the fourth game Nole avoids a double break with an ace and gets unblocked (1-3). In the fifth game the South Tyrolean has to face the first break ball but saves himself with an excellent second and with yet another ace goes ahead 4-1. Djokovic tries to hang on but Sinner is relentless on serve and closes the partial set at zero with a winning backhand forehand (6-3).

The second set opens with a wonderful point by Sinner who then makes a few too many errors, however. Nole rises to the performance with his serve and also in response: in the fourth game at the third useful opportunity he scores, getting the first break of the match (3-1). Immediate the reaction of the Blue who conquers three consecutive break points of the counter-break but Novak comes out as a champion (4-1). The Serb with an ace saves another break point in the seventh game before closing the second partial with a winning forehand (6-3).

Sinner gets off to a strong start in the third set with a break game, topped by an ace and a winning forehand. Djokovic is not to be outdone: two winning forehands and an ace give him the’1-1. Sinner commits the first double fault of the match but rises from 15-30 thanks also to a winning backhand (2-1). The Serb also climbs from 15-30 with a couple of spells and in the fifth game earns a break point but Jannik is glacial: bunt and pass, then with the same pattern goes up 3-2. With a pair of aces Sinner keeps his lead ahead (4-3) but Djokovic evens the score (4-4). In the tenth game all’sudden Sinner earned three consecutive break points and on the second Djokovic missed: the Azure went back ahead by a set (6-4).

The first game was a break point.

Uphill start in the fourth set for Sinner, who despite three aces surrendered the serve to Djokovic, unleashed with the forehand, in the opening game. Nole grinds out winners with the forehand and confirms the break (2-0). Jannik unlocks (1-2) but the Serb, author of a valuable serve & volley, concedes very little on serve (3-1). In the eighth game, however, Djokovic goes in trouble on serve conceding two break points to the Blue but saves himself bravely (5-3). Sinner shortens with a pair of aces (4-5) but Djokovic does not tremble on serve (6-4) and sends everything back to the fifth set.

Buoyed by a couple of Nole’s volleys, Jannik gets off to a good start in the fifth set (1-0) and immediately gets two consecutive break points in the next game but Djokovic once again comes out on top (1-1). Sinner, however, does not flinch and with two more aces goes 2-1. In the fourth game the Azure misses three more break points but only on the last one (wrong response with the forehand) he has to complain. The South Tyrolean continues to serve very well but in the fateful seventh game Nole drags him to the advantages and at the first useful chance he scores thanks to a forehand error by Sinner (4-3). The eighth game is decisive: Djokovic even goes up from 0-40 and in fact Jannik’s hopes are extinguished here. The Blue cancels two match points in the last game but the third is the good one for Nole who raises his arms to the sky.