Djokovic Wins Australian Open Classic Over Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic, Australian Open
Novak Djokovic (photo: Australian Open TV/YouTube)

MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, January 21, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Novak Djokovic showed why he’s a 10-time Australian Open champion and has dominated the Happy Slam ever since he won his first major in Melbourne back in 2008.

After his three-hour, 37-minute quarterfinal win over World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 – his fifth win in eight meetings against the young Spaniard in this generational rivalry – the 37-year-old Djokovic just keeps defying the odds. Certainly, his triumph, which began Tuesday on a warm – and at times windy – summer evening in Melbourne and ended as the clock struck 12:58 a.m. early Wednesday, showed why his brilliance and experience at winning big-time matches is unparalleled. It was Djokovic’s 99th career win at Melbourne Park.

Throughout, the World No. 7 Djokovic crushed his returns – both forehand and backhand – with great intensity and his baseline exchanges with Alcaraz – including one that lasted 33 shots – were as epic as they were brutal. With the intensity of his returns came a price, though. Djokovic required a medical time out at 4-5 in the opening set and left the court to get his upper left leg taped. However, the first set would be the only one that Djokovic would lose. For the most part, in the remaining three sets he maintained the upper hand against Alcaraz but it would never be easy.

“The medication started to kick in, and it helped no doubt. I had to take another dose, it sounds awful, but I had to,” Djokovic said during his on-court interview with Jim Courier, who inquired about the medical time out. “If I lost that second set, I don’t know if I would continue playing, but I felt better and better. I managed to play a great couple of games to end the second set. I saw that Carlos was hesitant from the back of the court, and I took my chances. I started to feel and move better.

“It didn’t bother me towards the end of the match [the pain], only in that second set. When the medications start to release I will see what the reality is tomorrow morning. Right now, I will try to be in the moment and enjoy this victory.”

As Djokovic reached match point against the 21-year-old Alcaraz, he took a couple of deep breaths and stepped up to the service line. As is his custom, he bounced the tennis ball more than a dozen times before finally putting his serve into play. Methodically, Djokovic proceeded to win one final 12-shot rally that was netted by Alcaraz, who tried to hit a cross-court forehand return from deep in his side of the court but failed.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion let out an emphatic roar of approval as looked toward coach Andy Murray and the rest of his team after securing match point. Then, he raised his arms in celebration and shared a warm embrace at the net with Alcaraz. The two smiled as they walked off the court together.

By the end, Djokovic finished with 31 winners, including five aces, and won 22 of 34 net points, Although committing 27 unforced errors, Djokovic outpointed Alcaraz 135-126. The Spaniard countered with 50 winners to 40 unforced errors, served 10 aces and converted four of 11 break points.

Djokovic, who has now won four of his last five matches against Alcaraz since losing the 2023 Wimbledon final – and five of eight meetings overall, including all three of their hard-court tussles – has advanced to his 50th major semifinal, an all-time men’s record. He’s also through to his 12th Australian Open semifinal – second-most all-time behind Roger Federer’s 15. Plus, Djokovic is now the third man to reach an AO semifinal and to reach multiple major semifinals at age 37 or older in the Open Era.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s bid to become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam, following his title runs at the US Open (2022), Wimbledon (2023-24) and Roland-Garros (2024), will have to wait another year.

During his on-court interview, Djokovic gave a special shoutout to Alcaraz.

“I want to say my utmost respect and admiration for Carlos, everything he stands for and what he has achieved so far in his career. What a terrific guy he is, and an even better competitor,” Djokovic said. “Youngest ever No. 1 in the world, four Grand Slams, and I’m sure we are going to see a lot of him. … Maybe not as much as I would like, but he is going to be there for sure longer than me. I just wish this match today was the final, honestly.

“It’s one of the most epic matches I have played on this court, on any court really.”

Later, during his post-match news conference, Alcaraz took his latest loss to Djokovic in stride and spoke in philosophical tones.

“[We] play great, great matches every time that we play against each other,” he said. “We push each other to the limit. I think we played great points, great rallies [today]. It was really tight in the third, in the fourth set. The whole match, I guess.

“I’m just lucky to live this experience. I’m 21 years old. From these matches, I’m getting so much experience about how to deal with everything. I’m not going to hide. I’ve done great things in tennis already but playing against one of the best in history of our sport, these kinds of matches help me a lot in the future to be better.”

Whatever disappointments Djokovic may have harbored from losing in last year’s semifinals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in Melbourne – a year in which he failed to win a major for the first time since 2017 – have been erased. There’s no doubt, the Serbian great is hungry to win a record-extending 25th Grand Slam singles Sunday in Melbourne.

In the semifinal round on Friday, Djokovic will attempt to reach his 11th AO final when he faces World No. 2 Alexander Zverev of Germany, who eliminated 12th  seed Tommy Paul of the United States, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1, in three hours and 28 minutes.

“Honestly, the key is recovery now,” Djokovic admitted. “The extra day comes at a perfect time for me. Hopefully, I can come out and play my best.”

Zverev reaches ninth major semifinal

The second-seeded Zverev saved set points in each of the opening two sets against the World No. 11 Paul. Now, he’s through to his ninth Grand Slam semifinal. It was his first win in three lifetime meetings against the American and he did it by hitting 44 winners and controlling the net, winning 74 percent of his net exchanges.

The victory, which took place on a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena Tuesday afternoon, was the 30th AO match win for Zverev. He passed Boris Becker to claim the all-time record for most singles win by a German man.

“To be honest,” Zverev said during his on-court interview with Jim Courier, “I should have been down two sets to love. He played better than me. I was not playing great and I thought he was. I somehow won the first set, somehow won the second set, and I’m up two sets to love all of a sudden and I need only one more set.

“The fourth set was definitely the best that I’ve played and I’m obviously extremely happy to be back in the semifinals now.”

Zverev finished with 27 winners to 36 unforced errors. He broke Paul’s serve four times in seven tries and outpointed him 135-118. The German, who won 72 percent of his first-serve points, fired his seventh ace to wrap up his seventh win of the season and remains undefeated. Paul, who will return to the Top 10 next week, countered with 44 winners but was undone by his 56 unforced errors.

“He picks up his level at the big moments, and my level unfortunately dropped in the big moments today,” Paul said during his post-match news conference.

“I just have to close those sets out. That’s what the top players do so well, when they’re front-running. They do a great job in closing big sets or any sets, and that’s what I didn’t do well today.”

Meanwhile, Zverev had a happier spin to put on matters. “I’m obviously extremely happy to be back in the semifinals,” he said.

Sabalenka keeps hopes of three-peat alive

World No. 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus kept her hopes of a three-peat alive after defeating No. 27 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, in an hour and 53 minutes on Rod Laver Arena Tuesday evening. It was her 19th straight win at Melbourne Park.

Although she was pushed hard by Pavlyuchenkova, who was bidding to achieve a 39th career Top-10 win and second over a reigning World No. 1, Sabalenka reached her third straight AO semifinal after twice coming from a break down in the decider. The second set dip resulted in the first set that Sabalenka had lost in Melbourne since the 2023 final against Elena Rybakina.

“Honestly I was just praying, trying to put the ball back in the court in these tough conditions,” Sabalenka said after improving her 2025 win-loss record to 10-0. She admitted the windy conditions on the court proved tricky at times.”

“It was very difficult to play,” Sabalenka admitted. “She played amazing tennis, very aggressive, I’m just super happy I was somehow magically able to win this match.” The win leveled her career head-to-head with Pavlyuchenkova at 2-all.

Since winning a warm-up event in Brisbane earlier this month, Sabalenka had won each of her first four AO matches in straight sets. Next, she will face World No. 12 Paula Badosa of Spain, who earlier in the day eliminated World No. 3 Coco Gauff of the United States, 7-5, 6-4, to become a first-time major semifinalist.

Around the Australian Open

• Last year’s men’s’ doubles finalists, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori of Italy, advanced to the semifinal round with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral of Portugal on Kia Arena Tuesday. It was the Italian duo’s eighth straight win following their title run in Adelaide earlier this month.

Their semifinal opponent will be Andre Goransson of Sweden and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands, who stunned No. 1 seeds and 2024 Year-End No. 1s Marcelo Arevelo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, in an hour and 53 minute to reach their first major semifinal.

• Two mixed doubles teams featuring Australians reached the semifinals after securing quarterfinal victories on Tuesday. First, wild cards Kimberly Birrell and John Patrick Smith upset No. 3 seeds Ellen Perez of Australia and Kevin Krawietz of Germany, 6-2, 3-6, 10-6. Later, wild cards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers advanced over Zhang Shuai of China and Rohan Bopanna of India, 2-6m 6-4, 11-9.

Tuesday’s Australian Open results 

Wednesday’s Australian Open order of play

By the numbers

• Novak Djokovic‘s win over Carlos Alcaraz was his first against a Top 10 player at a Grand Slam since 2023, when he defeated Daniil Medvedev to win the US Open title, his 24th major crown.

• Aryna Sabalenka became the first player since Maria Sharapova in 2008 to reach 10 Grand Slam semifinals in her career. She surpassed the nine semifinal totals of Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep.

“Quotable …”

“It’s not a bad result. I think the better you do, the more you take for granted of this.

“I guess the positives I can take away is I had a tough draw. Wimbledon, I had a tough draw, and I kind of succumbed to that. Same at US Open. I feel like I was ready from the start of this tournament. With each match I found solutions, even against Belinda [Bencic]. Wasn’t playing my best, but I was able to turn it around. Then today I was close to doing that as well.

“So there’s a lot of things to be proud of, a lot of things to look forward to.”

– World No. 3 Coco Gauff, during her post-match news conference, following her 7-5, 6-4 quarterfinal loss to World No. 12 Paul Badosa of Spain Tuesday afternoon.

 

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