Australian Open: Are we heading for another Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner final or can Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev spoil the party?
Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev are the players trying to prevent Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner from setting up fourth consecutive Grand Slam final; Watch the ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app
Thursday 29 January 2026 20:35, UK
Are we heading for another Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner Grand Slam final or can Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev become the disrupters and spoil the party?
Are the stars aligning for Djokovic in his bid for more major glory?
Fortune is smiling on the 10-time Australian Open champion, with the 38-year-old now two match victories away from capturing a record-breaking 25th career Grand Slam title.
But he has familiar foe and two-time defending champion Sinner standing in his way to his first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon in 2024.
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Make no mistake, Djokovic is in Melbourne with one objective: to make history! To cement his name as the most decorated tennis player of all time.
The Serbian concedes he's "lucky this time" to still be in the running, after trailing fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-3 in Wednesday's quarter-finals before the 23-year-old Italian retired in the third set with an injured right leg. And that followed a walkover in the fourth round. He hasn't won a set since the third round.
But Sinner is also counting his luck. He was on the verge of a third-round exit when he was cramping and stumbling while down a break against No 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri in the third set. He only got a reprieve when the 'Extreme Heat Policy' was activated, and an eight-minute delay to close the roof completely swung momentum.
Sinner is on a 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and the 24-year-old Italian has a 6-4 lead in head-to-heads with Djokovic, including wins in the last five.
The sequence includes semi-finals at the 2024 Australian Open and at the French Open and Wimbledon last year.
"It improves you as a player and a person," Sinner said of his matches against Djokovic. "We're still lucky to have Novak here playing incredible tennis at his age.
"I'm lucky to have someone like him in front of my eyes and I can hopefully learn something. I feel like every day, every time he plays, I can learn something about him."
Asked in a news conference to compare eras from when he started chasing the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry and to now chasing Alcaraz and Sinner, Djokovic responded that it was disrespectful not to mention the "15-year period in between where I was dominating the Grand Slams" - "I don't feel like I'm chasing, to be honest," he said. "I'm creating my own history."
'I think it's a step too far for Djokovic'
Six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Tim Henman speaking on TNT Sports:
"When Djokovic made four Grand Slam semi-finals last year, he was fatigued because he'd played a lot of tennis.
"This time, yes he has a blister on his foot, but he hasn't played a great deal of tennis so you've got to think his energy levels are the best they've been in 12 months.
"However, his level of play and his attitude has been very average. Unless that changes significantly tomorrow, I think Sinner takes him down.
"Sinner's movement now is absolutely phenomenal. He uses core strength on the defensive to come back on the offensive.
"I think it's a step too far for Djokovic. Sinner is 15 years younger and that is the biggest challenge. Djokovic isn't playing at the same level at the moment. I think Sinner will definitely come out on top."
'It would take a career performance for Djokovic to win it'
Doubles specialist Jamie Murray said: "What we can take from it is that Djokovic wasn't very good [against Musetti]. But these semi-final matches now are what he's still playing tennis for. To try and overcome Sinner and Alcaraz and win another Grand Slam final.
"Novak is capable of playing with variety, but the difficulty is his tempo. He's basically standing on the baseline moving side to side.
"In these conditions, the ball is fast, and it's not slowing down when Sinner hits it, that's for sure.
"I think it would take a career performance for Djokovic to win it, and I don't know he has that in him."
Alcaraz is bidding to become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam - winning all four major titles.
There are still big hurdles ahead, with Alexander Zverev next, and quite probably his major rival Jannik Sinner in the final, but Alcaraz's progress so far is mightily impressive, with the Spaniard yet to drop a set.
"I'm just really happy with the way that I'm playing every match," said Alcaraz. "I was increasing my level every match, which I'm really happy about. After the first match [my team] told me to be patient. Today I felt really comfortable playing great tennis."
On facing Zverev again, the Spaniard said: "I've seen Sascha through the whole tournament and I know he's playing great tennis. I have to be ready.
"We practised in the week before the tournament and he beat me 7-6 playing such great tennis. It's going to be a great battle. I'm really looking forward to playing him again here and taking the revenge."
They're 6-6 in career head-to-heads, including two wins apiece at Grand Slams.
The German is through to his 10th slam semi-final and bidding to reach his third final and second in a row in Melbourne, but he has won just one of the 14 matches he has played against top-five opponents at the majors.
Zverev, runner-up in Melbourne last year, said: "In my case, I'm still chasing that desired Slam. Of course, I still want to achieve that, but I also want to enjoy my tennis. Right now I'm doing that."
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