Jannik Sinner wrote a new page in tennis history, today, beating Novak Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, (6) 6-7, 6-3 in the semifinal of the Australian Open 2024. A victory that allowed the young Italian to reach his first Slam final.
Jannik was the first tennis player to beat Djokovic in an Australian Open semifinal: something that has never happened. When Nole won his first Australia Open title, in 2008 against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Sinner was just 6 years old and thinking of becoming a skier.
16 years later, Jannik has done something extraordinary, applying to take the place of the Serbian champion, on hard-courts. After beating him in the round robin at the ATP Finals in Turin and in the Davis Cup semi-final in Malaga, Jannik also managed to beat Djokovic in a Slam. Right in the Serbian’s home garden, shattering his opponent’s security.
Sinner now awaits the winner of the second semi-final scheduled between Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev in the final. The aim is to win the first Slam of his career on Sunday.
Jannik Sinner, Australian Open 2024© Julian Finney / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Jannik reached the final achieving several records. He is the eighth Italian tennis player in men’s singles to achieve this result. Before him, Giorgio de Stefani, finalist at the Roland Garros 1932, Nicola Pietrangeli at the Roland Garros (victory in 1959 and 1960, defeats in 1961 and 1964), Adriano Panatta, winner at the Roland Garros 1976 and Matteo Berrettini finalist at Wimbledon 2021.
Furthermore, it had not happened for 4 years that a tennis player reached the final stages of a Slam tournament by winning all his matches 3-0. The 22-year-old repeated a feat achieved only by the best in the world, although several have joined this group since 2017. The list includes Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem, Stan Wawrinka and Pablo Carreno Busta.
Jannik is also the first Italian to reach a Slam final at the Australian Open. Considering both men’s singles and women’s singles, Italy has reached at least one final in all four Major tournaments.
The match
The first game is full of no holds barred exchanges. The Italian, with his feet well inside the court, holds serve without problems. The second game is also at full speed and Sinner creates the opportunity for the break, which he then materializes. Sinner consolidates the lead and goes 3-0.
The set flows quickly: Djokovic seems to have problems with footwork and movements. He doesn’t find depth with both his forehand and his backhand. Allows Sinner to enter the court. He quickly finishes 6-1. A script that can also be seen in the second set, won by the young Italian 6-2. Game over? no!
The third set is decidedly more balanced than the previous two, with the epilogue leading the two tennis players to a tie-break. In the game there was also an interruption of the game due to an illness of a spectator in the stands. A forehand error by Sinner brings Djokovic to close the set 8-6.
In the fourth set there were still problems for Djokovic, who seemed to be fouled, moving badly, playing shots that were too short. Sinner takes advantage of this, attacking his rival and winning his first historic Slam final.
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