Novak Djokovic crashes out of Australian Open as Jannik Sinner ends six-year Melbourne run | Tennis | Sport

Jannik Sinner has stunned Novak Djokovic to reach his first Australian Open final and end the Serbian superstar’s long period of domination Down Under. The world No.1 had a 33-match unbeaten run at Melbourne Park dating back to 2018 – 2195 days ago. And Djokovic, who was seeking a new record of 25 Grand Slam singles titles, had not lost his previous 10 semi-finals here on his way to 10 titles.

But world No.4 Sinner, from the Alpine region of Italy, was able to scale one of the toughest peaks world sport by beating the flat Wimbledon champion in his favourite Rod Laver Arena.

The Italian raced to the first two sets in 73 minutes before Djokovic finally displayed his warrior-spirit to win the third set tiebreak after saving a match point. But Sinner held his nerve for the biggest win of his career to win 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-3 in three hours and 22 minutes.

It is the first time Djokovic has ever completed a Grand Slam match without forcing a break point – and only the 11th time in his long career. The Serb’s serve was broken six times and he made 54 unforced errors. This was not the same Djokovic who had reigned supreme here for most of the last decade as Sinner outhit and outran the defending champion. 

Carlos Alcaraz’s victory in SW19 last year seemed to herald a changing of the guard in men’s tennis but the world No.1 returned to win in New York and at the Nitto ATP Finals in November. He has now lost another generation game in a Grand Slam final against a 22-year-old who is 14 years and 86 days younger than him.

Djokovic, who turns 37 in May, will have to wait until the French Open or Wimbledon to break the record of 24 Grand Slams he has shared with Margaret Court since his US Open triumph in September.

The Serb would probably have won the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz if he had taken a set point in the second set tiebreak to leads by two sets to love. But the 10-time champion was not even in this final until the third set.

Sinner came out fast and broke to go 2-0 with a sensational forehand swing volley into the corner and Djokovic needed 21 minutes to hold for his first game. The Italian broke to go 5-1 up when the Serb floated a backhand long and Sinner took his second set point after 35 minutes from another Djokovic unforced error.

The world No.4 broke to lead 2-1 in the second set and Djokovic tried to finally whip up the crowd as he saved a break point at 2-4 before Sinner went 5-2 up. He took his second set point when the Serb put a forehand into the net.

The third set was a tighter affair but Sinner’s superb serving stopped a Djokovic fightback. There was a holdup at 5-5 deuce for medical treatment for a spectator in the Rod Laver Arena before the tiebreak.

From 2-4 down, the Italian won the next three points before forcing a match point at 6-5 which Djokovic saved with a service winner down the middle. And Djokovic took his first set point when Sinner sent a backhand long. It was the first set Sinner has dropped in the tournament. 

In the fourth set, Djokovic saved three break points at 0-1 and led 40-0 at 1-2. But Sinner retrieving a drop shot with a forehand drop shot winner of his own sparked a run of five consecutive points for the Italian to break for sixth time to lead 3-1. Frustrated Djokovic whacked a microphone on the umpire’s chair at the changeover at 4-1.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Sinner served his double fault after three hours and 20 minutes to go down 15-30 before recovering to take his second match point with a forehand winner down the line – 55 minutes after his first match point.