Novak Djokovic makes history, reaches Australian Open final

Just four months shy of his 39th birthday, Djokovic won 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after nearly four and a half hours of play, finishing at 1:32 a.m. local time on Saturday morning.

After the victory, Djokovic said playing such a long and high-level match was an incredible experience. He recalled the historic six-hour final against Rafael Nadal in 2012, noting that maintaining maximum intensity and quality was the only way to overcome Sinner, who had beaten him five consecutive times. Djokovic also praised his opponent for pushing him to his limits.

Djokovic’s opponent in the final will be world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who reached the final after defeating Alexander Zverev in the longest semifinal.

Eighteen years after his first title in Melbourne, Djokovic aims for a record 11th Australian Open title and an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam victory, which remains beyond his reach.

Earlier rounds were aided somewhat by luck. In the quarterfinal, Lorenzo Musetti withdrew due to injury, and Djokovic also received a walkover in the fourth round. However, his semifinal victory over Sinner came entirely through hard work and mental resilience. In the final set, Djokovic saved multiple break points. At 3-3, he broke Sinner’s serve to take the lead. He held his serve in the next game and finally secured victory when Sinner’s backhand went out, celebrating by kneeling and making the sign of the cross.