Australian Open 2026 LIVE: Djokovic dethrones Sinner in five-set epic to reach 11th AO final
Novak Djokovic's pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title continues as he triumphed over World No. 2 Jannik Sinner in a thrilling semi-final at the Australian Open, winning 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Last Updated: 09.06 PM, Jan 30, 2026
The dream for the 25th Grand Slam title continues for Novak Djokovic as he defeated World number two and two-time defending Champion Jannik Sinner in a marathon semi-final to enter his record-extending 38th Grand Slam final. The 38-year-old Sabian warrior prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, and 6-4, ending Sinner's reign and will look to win his 11th Australian Open title on Sunday against Carlos Alcaraz, who earlier had defeated Alexander Zverev in the record-breaking longest Australian Open semi-final.
The battle started from the word go
The match didn't start that well for 10th-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic as Sinner, the 24-year-old powerhouse who already had dominated the tour for the last two seasons, raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set.
Sinner was able to force Djokovic to run from corner to corner with clinical aggression, and he definitely looked every bit the favourite. Djokovic, in time, struggled with his physical lethargy, which was seen during the win over Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-final as well.
However, as they say, Djokovic's DNA began to surface during the second set as an early break put him ahead 3-1, and after that, the Serbian became an "impenetrable wall."
At 5-2, Djokovic saved a break point with one of his 12 aces. This turned in defiance as he leveled the match with a set for both of them.
The turning point: Survival under pressure
The striking story of the match was that every time Sinner had put Djokovic under pressure, the 24-time Grand Slam winner brought out his clutch game and matched toe-to-toe against a player 14 years younger than him. Not only that, he faced a staggering 18 breakpoints throughout the match and saved 16 of them.
Even after dropping the third set against Cena, which appeared a physically grueling set for both of the players, Djokovic refused to fade. In the fourth set, he broke Sinner early and then fed off the vocal energy of the Melbourne crowd. A massive war cry followed a grueling 19-shot rally, which signaled that the greatest of all time was far from finished, and everyone at Melbourne Park was about to see a five-set legendary thriller.
A decider for the ages
The fifth set, as usual, was more than just two great athletes going after another. It was like a high-stakes chess match. In the fourth game, Sinner pressured Djokovic with three break-point opportunities. But a Serbian denied him with a sequence of superlative backhands and a jamming body serve, which took the game further.
This made Djokovic more confident, and the final knockout blow came in the seventh game of the fifth set. As Djokovic started to take the game deeper, Sinner's forehand finally began to miss under the relentless pressure, and the Serbian secured the crucial break needed in the final set.
Despite a late search from Sinner, who saved two matchpoints in the final game, Djokovic finally won the mental battle. On his third attempt, Djokovic forced a backhand error from Sinner to seal the victory after four hours and nine minutes.
A date with destiny for Novak
The final on Sunday now sets the stage for a generational clash.
Djokovic will face world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who survived his own five-set marathon against Alexander Zverev earlier on Friday.