Serbian tennis ace Novak Djokovic gave a firm reminder of his strength after overcoming Jannik Sinner in a tough Australian Open semi-final before addressing the doubts that have dogged him in recent years. The 38-year-old said talk of retirement had only sharpened his focus as he moved one win away from a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic secured his place in Sunday’s final with a five-set win over two-time defending champion and world number one Sinner, who prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4 in a match that stretched into the early hours in Melbourne. Speaking after a 5 and a half hour thriller, he reflected on the scrutiny he facedespecially after questions were raised about his fitness and future at the start of the tournament.
Australian Open, Djokovic vs Sinner: Highlights
“I never stopped believing in myself, you know. There are a lot of people who doubt me. I see that all of a sudden there are a lot of experts who wanted me to retire or took me away many times in the last few years,” Djokovic told reporters.
“I want to thank them all because they gave me strength. They gave me the motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. It’s not a surprise to me to be honest.”
Djokovic acknowledged that the road to the semifinals was not smooth. He benefited from an injury to Lorenzo Musetti in the previous roundbut he emphasized that his victory over Sinner was due to execution rather than circumstance.
“I know what I’m capable of. I’ve had a lot of matches in my Grand Slam career where it’s just one of those days where you don’t feel your best,” he said.
“You try to find a way to win with everything you’ve got, even if the quality of tennis isn’t nearly what you’d like it to be. So that’s the way it was, you know?”
Winning with experience: Djokovic’s mantra
The Serbian giant said preparation and insight were key against an opponent he had dominated in recent meetings.
“I came out with a lot of clarity about the strategy and the game plan that needed to be executed,” added Djokovic.
“It’s one thing to imagine how you want to play and another thing to deliver it and execute it on the pitch against Sinner, who we all know plays at an extremely high level.”
Prior to this match, Sinner had beaten Djokovic in their last five meetings, adding to the belief that the balance of power had shifted towards the younger generation led by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic’s win helped restore that narrative, even if the margins were fine.
“He’s won 24 Grand Slams. We know each other very well, how we play… It doesn’t surprise me because I feel like he’s been the best player for many, many years and obviously he’s playing less tournaments because of his age and everything. But we also know how important the Grand Slams are for me, for him, for Carlos, for everybody. You know, he takes it as a big extra lesson, hope for everybody.” I can improve,” Sinner said at the post-match press conference about Djokovic.
The semi-finals finish well after midnight and the earlier match on the same day lasts nearly five and a half hours, leaving limited recovery time ahead of Sunday’s final against Alcaraz. Still, Djokovic is focused on finding ways to win, even more so with a 25th Grand Slam title now within reach.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
January 31, 2026
