Tennis News

Djokovic: ‘I want to thank all the doubters’

Discount Novak Djokovic at your peril.

Just when Jannik Sinner looked set to book a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final with Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, the ageless Serbian produced a comeback for the ages to earn the chance to play for a 25th Grand Slam crown.

“I never stopped believing in myself,” said the 10-time Australian Open champion, who will play Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final at Melbourne Park. “There’s a lot of people that doubt me. A lot of experts wanted to retire me or have retired me many times the last couple of years.

“I want to thank them all, because they gave me strength. They gave me motivation to prove them wrong, which I have tonight. For me, it’s not a surprise, to be honest.”

Djokovic rallied from two-sets-to-one down to snap a five-match losing streak against two-time defending champion Sinner, winning 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the four-hour and nine-minute thriller that finished at 1:30 a.m.

Djokovic, who said he will not practise Saturday, made the most of his good fortune to reach the semi-finals. In the fourth round he received a walkover from his Miami Open final conqueror Jakub Mensik; in the quarter-finals he trailed Lorenzo Musetti by two sets before the Italian retired with a right leg injury.

But against Sinner, an opponent 14 years his junior, Djokovic’s resilience, conviction and courage underpinned his deserving victory, in which he saved 16 of 18 break points, including all eight in the final set.

“I rate it as the best [win] of the last couple of years,” Djokovic said. “For sure, one of the best performances in the last decade or so…

“I was lucky that obviously Lorenzo got hurt and retired that match. Two days later, obviously different opponent. I knew exactly what to expect and had great clarity and strategy and game plan and what needs to be executed.

“One thing is to imagine how you want to play, and the other thing is to deliver it and execute it on the court against Sinner, that we all know is playing an extremely high level.

“I’m just thrilled to be able to experience something like this tonight.”

The victory was Djokovic’s first five-set match since Roland Garros in 2024, when he survived against Francisco Cerundolo.

Djokovic has not lifted a major trophy since the US Open in 2023, watching Alcaraz and Sinner split the eight majors during the past two years.

On Sunday, as Djokovic attempts to become the oldest Australian Open champion, 22-year-old Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest men’s player to complete the career Grand Slam.

Djokovic leads Alcaraz 5-4 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, winning three of their four hard-court meetings. But when Alcaraz broke through for his lone hard-court win in the 2025 US Open semi-finals, Djokovic candidly expressed doubts about his ability to topple the Spaniard and Sinner over five sets at the majors. He’ll now have the chance to prove himself wrong in back-to-back matches in what would be one of the most remarkable feats in his unparalleled career.

“History is on the line for both of us every time we play,” said Djokovic, who has spent a record 424 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings during his career… My preparation is as it should be, and I won against him last year here [in the quarter-finals], also in a grueling match. Let’s see. Let’s see how fresh are we both able to be.

“He also had a big match, but he has 15, 16 years on me. You know, biologically I think it’s going to be a bit easier for him to recover.

“I’m just trying to enjoy the moment that I’m experiencing tonight. I’ll think about finals later, but for me, this is win that almost equals winning a Grand Slam.”

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How much prize money will the Australian Open champion earn?

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will meet in the Australian Open final on Sunday, following remarkable semi-final victories.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz is trying to become the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam, while Djokovic is aiming to capture a record-extending 25th major and 11th at the Australian Open.

Sunday’s champion will also depart Melbourne with a hefty payday. The winner will claim $4,150,000, while the runner-up will earn $2,150,000. Look below for a full prize-money breakdown of the singles field at the season’s first major.

2026 Australian Open Singles Prize Money (Men & Women)

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Djokovic steals show as Australian Open finally ignites

A slow-burning Australian Open looks set for a final weekend flourish after Novak Djokovic takes the limelight once again in Melbourne.

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Djokovic stuns Sinner in thriller to set up Alcaraz final

Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final for the chance of winning a 25th Grand Slam title after winning a five-set epic against defending champion Jannik Sinner.

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Djokovic & Alcaraz win five-set epics to reach Australian Open final

Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final after both players maintain their respective bids for history by coming through five-set epics on an extraordinary day in Melbourne.

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Sinner on painful Djokovic defeat: 'It hurts, for sure'

Jannik Sinner endured one of the most painful losses of his career on Friday night at the Australian Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in a thrilling five-set semi-final. After holding a two-sets-to-one lead, the Italian was unable to close out the match and the disappointment was evident in his post-match reflections.

“A lot,” Sinner said when asked how much the defeat hurt. “It was a very important Slam for me, of course, knowing also the background, it can happen. It was a good match from both of us. I had many chances. Couldn’t use them and that’s the outcome. It hurts, for sure.”

Sinner entered the match chasing a third consecutive Australian Open title and had beaten Djokovic in each of their previous five Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings. But on Friday night on the Rod Laver Arena, the second seed was unable to capitalise on key moments, converting just two of 18 break points against the 38-year-old Serbian, according to Infosys Stats.

“I had my chances. It was in the fifth set. Many break points, I couldn’t use them. He came up with some great shots,” Sinner said. “I decided a couple of different things. Today they didn’t work, but that’s how tennis is. I felt like also the first set was a great level from both of us. It was a bit [like] a roller coaster, and it happened like it happened today.”

Sunday will be the first time Sinner has not competed in a major final since Wimbledon in 2024, when Alcaraz defeated Djokovic. Despite the setback, the 24-year-old Sinner was full of praise for Djokovic and said the Serbian’s level came as no surprise.

“He’s won 24 Grand Slams. We know each other very well, how we play. I always said, [you can not be] surprised, because I feel like he’s the greatest player for many, many years,” Sinner said. “Of course, he’s playing less tournaments because of his age and everything, but we also know how important Grand Slams are for me, for him, for Carlos, and everyone. There is this small extra motivation, and he played great tennis. Hopefully I can take it as kind of a lesson maybe to see what I can improve on.”

Sinner will leave Melbourne No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the same position when he arrived. The Italian, who won more points than Djokovic in the match, is a four-time major winner.

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Djokovic defeats Sinner in five-set classic, returns to Australian Open final

Novak Djokovic turned back the clock once more in the early hours of Saturday morning at the Australian Open, where he snapped his five-match losing streak against Jannik Sinner in a five-set epic to move within one victory of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title and an 11th in Melbourne.

Having dropped the opening set and then slipped two sets to one behind, the recent familiar narrative threatened to repeat itself for Djokovic, who lost in the semi-finals at all four majors in 2025. This time, however, the 38-year-old refused to yield, saving 16 of the 18 break points he faced in the four-hour and nine-minute thriller. Red-lining under the lights on Rod Laver Arena, he dragged himself back into the clash and outlasted the two-time defending champion 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a gripping semi-final battle.

“I am lost for words right now, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who is in his first major final since Wimbledon 2024. “It feels surreal to be honest. Playing for over four hours, it is nearly 2 am. Reminiscing about 2012 when I played Rafa in the final and that was almost six hours. The level of intensity and the quality of tennis was extremely high and I knew that was the only way for me to win tonight against him. He won the past five matches against me. He had my mobile number, so I had to change my number for tonight.

“Jokes aside, I told him at the net, thanks for letting me have at least one [win]. I have tremendous respect for him, an incredible player. He pushes you to the very limit, which is what he did tonight to me, so he deserves a great round of applause… Tonight has been one of the best nights, if not the best night, atmosphere and support-wise, I have had in Australia.”

NOT. DONE. YET! 🤯@DjokerNole #AO26 pic.twitter.com/nfZo4EPMP8

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 30, 2026

It marked Djokovic’s first five-set match since Roland Garros in 2024, when he survived against Francisco Cerundolo. Awaiting Djokovic in Sunday’s final is rival Carlos Alcaraz, who earlier endured the longest semi-final in Australian Open history, a five-hour, 27-minute marathon against Alexander Zverev, to reach his first championship match in Melbourne.

“I did watch [Alcaraz-Zverev]. I was very eager to get out on the court. What an incredible match,” Djokovic said. “We tried to match that quality and intensity, but credit to both of those guys, battling it out. I saw Carlos after the match and he told me ‘I am sorry to delay the start of your match’, and I told him I am an old man and I need to go earlier to sleep. I am looking forward to seeing him in a few days.”

Djokovic has not lifted a major trophy since the US Open in 2023, a drought underscored by the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz, who have shared the past eight majors between them. The Italian and Spaniard had also contested the previous three Grand Slam finals, but Djokovic tore up that script on Friday, denying them the chance to become just the second pair in the Open Era to meet in four consecutive major finals, after Djokovic and Rafael Nadal between Wimbledon 2011 and Roland Garros 2012.

The Serbian will carry a narrow 5-4 Lexus ATP Head2Head advantage over Alcaraz into Sunday’s final, having beaten the Spaniard in the quarter-finals in Melbourne 12 months ago. Buoyed by his proactive, ruthless display against Sinner, Djokovic will also enter the title match the fresher of the two, having spent less time on court through a unique path to the final.

Djokovic won his opening three matches in straight sets, benefited from a fourth-round walkover against Jakub Mensik and advanced again when Lorenzo Musetti retired while leading by two sets in the quarter-finals. Into his 38th major final following his win, Djokovic is the oldest man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open final. The No. 4 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has now earned a record 104 wins at the major, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Roger Federer is second on the list with 102.

In front of an electric Rod Laver Arena crowd, Sinner showed exactly why he had won his previous five meetings with Djokovic in the first set, producing a composed and authoritative display in the opener. The Italian struck 15 winners to Djokovic’s eight and dictated the majority of the baseline exchanges to take control.

Djokovic responded with urgency at the start of the second set, clawing back momentum. The 38-year-old converted his fourth break-point opportunity to move ahead 3–1, striking with renewed aggression and pinpoint accuracy down the line to force Sinner out of position and level the match.

Sinner wrestled back the initiative in the third, using his touch and variation to outmanoeuvre Djokovic while winning an imposing 90 per cent (18/20) of his first-serve points. Yet the Serbian refused to fade. In the fourth set, Djokovic penetrated Sinner’s defences with increasingly proactive hitting, upping the pace on his forehand beyond 140 km/h and saving two crucial break points at 4-3 to drag the contest into a deciding fifth set.

Djokovic then showcased why he is the champion he is in a tense decider. The 101-time tour-level titlist continued to swing away in the fifth set and saved all eight break points he faced, including three from 0/40 at 4-3. He conjured up some magic of his own on return to find the key breakthrough in the seventh game before holding out for a remarkable win.

Djokovic failed to convert either of his first two match points, with Sinner scrambling to stay alive on the backhand side to bring the scores back to deuce. However, it was third time lucky for the 38-year-old, who dropped to his knees shortly after sealing victory.

“It already feels like winning tonight, but I know I will have to come back in a couple of days and fight the number 1 in the world,” Djokovic said looking ahead to the final. “I hope I have enough gas to stay toe-to-toe with him, that is my desire.”

Did You Know?
It is the first time since Wimbledon 2018 that both men’s semi-finals have gone to five sets.

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Alcaraz: I’ll do ‘whatever it takes’ to be ready for Australian Open final

Carlos Alcaraz had to rouse every last ounce of energy to overcome Alexander Zverev on Friday in an Australian Open classic. After five hours and 27 minutes of back-and-forth semi-final action inside Rod Laver Arena, the Spaniard’s focus quickly turned to physical recovery for Sunday’s championship match.

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alcaraz struggled with an injury in his upper right leg from the closing stages of the third set of his 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 triumph against Zverev. He later revealed he thought the problem was with his adductor muscle but expressed confidence that he would be raring to go for the title match against Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic.

“Well, obviously I feel tired,” said Alcaraz, who would become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam by lifting his maiden Australian Open title on Sunday, in his post-match press conference. “Obviously my body could be better, to be honest, but I think that’s normal after five hours and a half. [After the match] I just did whatever it takes just to try to be better, to feel better tomorrow. Ice bath… I’m going to have treatment with the physio now, and we will see.

“Hopefully it’s not going to be nothing at all, but after five-hours-and-a-half match and that high level of physically, I think the muscles are going to be tight, and I just got to do whatever it takes to be as good as I can for the final.”

The @carlosalcaraz mentality 🔥@AustralianOpen | #AO26 pic.twitter.com/GmNYvBObdL

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 30, 2026

Against Zverev, Alcaraz could barely run for the tail end of the third set and much of the fourth, but loosened up in time to rally back from 3-5 in the decider to prevail in the longest semi-final in Australian Open history.

“This one was one of the more demanding matches that I have ever played in my career so far,” said the 22-year-old. “I think physically we just pushed each other to the limit today. We pushed our bodies to the limit. I think the level of the fifth set was really, really high.

“I’m just really, really happy to get the win, that I came back. I rank this one in the top position, [among] one of the best matches that I have ever won.”

Alcaraz is now 15-1 in fifth sets, and he has become the youngest man to reach the final at all four Grand Slam events. If he wants to go on to complete the Career Grand Slam on Sunday, he may need to reproduce some of the remarkable battling qualities he showcased to overcome Zverev.

“When I was younger, there were a lot of matches that I just didn’t want to fight anymore or just I gave up,” said the six-time major champion. “Then I just got mature, and I just hate that feeling… Every step more, even just one second more of suffering, one second more of fighting is always worth it. So that’s why I just fight until the last ball and always believe that I can come back in every situation.”

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Alcaraz beats Zverev in Australian Open classic

Carlos Alcaraz comes back from the brink of defeat to beat Alexander Zverev and reach his first Australian Open final.

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Zverev on five-set Alcaraz Australian Open defeat: 'We both went to our absolute limits'

So near, yet so far again for Alexander Zverev in his quest for major glory. The third-seeded German was just three points away from defeating Carlos Alcaraz in their Australian Open semi-final on Friday night, but was unable to close it out as Alcaraz rallied from 3-5 down in the fifth set to triumph.

In the aftermath of the five-hour, 27-minute loss, the longest semi-final in tournament history, a fatigued Zverev reflected on his latest Grand Slam heartbreak.

“Unbelievable fight, battle. Unfortunate ending for me, but to be honest, I had absolutely nothing left in me,” Zverev said.

“To be honest, I think I’m way too tired to have emotions right now, so like in two days, I’ll probably have more, but right now I’m just exhausted,” the German later continued. “I think we both went to our absolute limits, so somewhat I’m also proud of myself, the way I was hanging on and came back from two sets to love.

“Of course it’s disappointing, but this is the start of the year, so if I continue playing that way, if I continue training the way I train, if I continue working on the things that I’ve been working in the offseason, I do believe it’s going to be a good year for me.”

Zverev was chasing a fourth major final and a second consecutive Australian Open title match. Having rallied from two sets down, the 28-year-old looked poised to complete the comeback and hand Alcaraz just a second defeat in a fifth set.

However, the 28-year-old’s post-match regrets did not come from his inability to serve out at 5-4 but his lack of ruthlessness more than three hours earlier in the second set.

“The second set, that one, I felt like I should have won,” Zverev said. “Especially serving for it, I didn’t play a good game serving for it. Funny enough, I don’t have many regrets in the fifth set, because I was hanging on for dear life, to be honest. I was exhausted. But the second set. I think going up, being one set all, and him starting to cramp in the third set, that probably would have made a difference.”

Alcaraz struggled with physical issues deep in the third set but found a way to dig in during an exhilarating fifth set. The Spaniard now holds a 15-1 record in matches that have gone the distance but this was not a factor Zverev was overly concerned about during the decider.

“I know my five-set record is quite good, as well. But, no, of course not,” Zverev said. “It’s not something you think about 5-4 serving. I had other thoughts in my mind. Basically I didn’t want to fall over in the match.

“No, it’s not something I think about, but I know that he’s fit, I know that he’s very, very strong and hard to beat in long matches. He’s proven that last year in Paris, I think, as well against Jannik. I always feel like on the physical side I’m quite okay as well.”

Alcaraz now leads Zverev 7-6 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will face Jannik Sinner or Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final.

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