Novak Djokovic lost the Australian Open crown this Friday after falling in the semifinals with Jannik Sinner 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6) and 6-3, in 3 hours and 22 minutes.
The transalpine showed that, right now, He is the fittest tennis player on the planet. He finished last year showing signs of what he is capable of: final of the ATP Finals in Turin, including a victory against the number one, and Davis Cup title for Italy.
The freshness of the twenty-year-old contrasted with the negative body language of a Djokovic who at 36 years old will not have many more opportunities to inscribe his name in the competition’s record.
The challenge of the ‘Golden Slam’ is no longer one. And the next ‘major’ and the Olympic Games are in Roland Garros, the land of Rafael Nadal. The Balkan won the first point of the match in a definition of what he is: long exchange and without making unforced errors.
What happens is that Sinner responded to him with six points in a row, which were a declaration of intent. The Italian, the Serbian’s executioner in two of the last three precedents, some as painful as the Davis Cup semifinal in Malaga, took a 3-0 lead in just 12 minutes.
Jannik, with practical and unadorned tennis, had the 24-time champion on the ropes right from the start. He even had a 4-0 ball.
Many went back in time and remembered the last defeat of ‘Nole’ at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. It was on January 22, 2018 against the Korean Hyeon Chung.
The decorated tennis player has since won the Australian Open at least one more time, for a total of ten. Sinner was not afraid to face the semifinal with the legend, who had decided in his favor the last 33 matches in the tournament.
After 21 minutes, and not without suffering, Novak opened his locker. On Australia’s national day, the stands mostly supported the young Italian.
Jannik commanded the rest. At 4-1, two other break options were created. He got the first one right. The score was 6-1 and aroused the general murmur. The fans present were getting closer to witnessing a historic moment. Seeing the Belgrade tennis player lose on the cement of Melbourne It is as rare and unique as seeing Nadal fall in the dirt of Paris.
Djokovic took the lead for the first time at 1-0 in the second set. It was a mirage because he suffered every shift on duty. His opponent’s ball pace was greater.
Touching of the abdominal area
Sinner, untouchable on serve, once again distanced himself to 3-1 and managed that advantage until scoring the second set. Away from the late night session ‘Nole’ is not the same. The sun affects you, both physically and mentally. She also suffered abdominal pain. The gestures in the change chair gave him away.
Djokovic rarely feels helpless. For once he lived that sensation in his flesh. The fans wanted more tennis and cheered him more than ever. It didn’t even hit him because he didn’t have a single option to break. He didn’t even complain as the minutes passed and as the games went almost always on the other side.
The pupil of Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi has all the shots, including the mid-court volley. His victim had lost only 11 of the 36 Grand Slam semi-finals played. Never in Australia.
match ball
An illness of a spectator caused the duel to stop at 5-5 and 40-40 and Serbian service. He was treated and transferred to an ambulance. Novak forced sudden death in the third set and decided it in his favor after saving a match point at 5-6. A right hand from his opponent died in the net.
Sinner signed the sentence with his fifth break. None of them became the first favorite in the draw because they didn’t have any options for it either. The forehand that the Italian had missed in the third set he put in the last point of the fourth.
The 12 ‘Grand Slam’ semi-finals lost by Djokovic
2007 Roland Garros Nadal 7-5, 6-4, 6-2
2007 Wimbledon Rafael Nadal 3-6, 6-1, 4-1 and retirement
2008 Roland Garros Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(3)
2008 US Open Roger Federer 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
2009 US Open Roger Federer 7-6(3), 7-5, 7-5
2010 Wimbledon Tomas Berdych 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3
2011 Roland Garros Roger Federer 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5)
2012 Wimbledon Roger Federer 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
2013 Roland Garros Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7
2014 US Open Kei Nishikori 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-3
2019 Roland Garros Dominic Thiem 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5
2024 Australian Open Jannik Sinner 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6) y 6-3
Alcaraz, not so far
Djokovic’s defeat allows Carlos Alcaraz cut 1,870 points from the Serbian on the tour of the Antipodes despite having played only one tournament and losing in the quarterfinals to Alexander Zverev.
Carlitos approaches and A Sinner is getting even closer, who seems destined to reach the top of tennis this season.
The second semi-final of the men’s team will face Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. Although the Norman Brookes Cup, seen as seen, is beginning to be dyed with the Italian flag. Sinner hopes he doesn’t pay for the hazing.
2024-01-26 07:12:17
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