Jannik Sinner gets off to a strong start with Novak Djokovic
The first set of the second Australian Open semifinal belonged to Jannik Sinner. The world and seeded number two won the first partial against Novak Djokovic, number four in the ATP rankings and seeded, with a score of 6-3 after thirty-eight minutes of play.
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 to nil with a winning backhand forehand.
There are ten previous ATP matches between Sinner and Djokovic, with the South Tyrolean holding a 6-4 advantage. Sinner has won 6 of the last 7 meetings (Wimbledon 2025 semifinal, Roland Garros 2025 semifinal, Shanghai 2024 Masters 1000 final, Australian Open 2024 semifinal, Davis Cup 2023 semifinal, ATP Finals 2023 round). The 24-time Slam champion, on the other hand, has won the round of 16 at the 2021 Masters 1000 Monte Carlo, twice at Wimbledon (quarterfinals in 2022 and semifinals in 2023), and in the final at the ATP Finals in 2023.
Sinner is in the hunt for a third consecutive Australian Open. A trio that has only succeeded in the tournament’s history by three tennis players: Jack Crawford (1931 to 1933), Roy Emerson (winner five editions in a row, from 1963 to 1967) and Novak Djokovic. The Serbian has made it a hat trick twice in Melbourne: from 2011 to 2013 and from 2019 to 2021. By winning the tournament, the world number two would also avert Carlos Alcaraz’s chance to complete the Grand Slam (the Spaniard has never won the Australian Open).
