Julius OkorieTwenty-four Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic, is on the verge of adding his 11th Aussie Open title and 25th Grand Slam achievement after sacking hard fighting Carlos Alcaraz to hit the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Djokovic delivered an impressive performance, executing a remarkable comeback to defeat Carlos Alcaraz and secure a place in the Australian Open semi-finals.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe 37-year-old who already has 10 Aussie Open titles in the kitty, demonstrated resilience, overcoming an injury to win the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 against the 21-year-old Spanish player.
Despite limping due to a problem in his upper left leg during the first set, Djokovic sought treatment off-court and returned with renewed vigour, allowing him to regain control of the match.
His aggressive play turned the tide in his favour, while Alcaraz, the third seed, struggled to regain momentum in an entertaining battle that lasted three hours and 38 minutes.
Djokovic will next battle Alexander Zverev of Germany at the Rod Laver Arena.Alexander Zverev had earlier edged out Tommy Paul 7-6,7-6,2-6, 6-1 to book a place in the semis.
Reacting to his victory Djokovic said “I just wish that this match today was the final,” Djokovic said. “One of the most epic matches I’ve played on this court. On any court.”
Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record 10 times and had many epic battles in Melbourne over the last decade. But, Tuesday’s match ranks among the best of them.
These two have clashed in several finals before though, most recently in the Paris Olympics last summer, where Nole took home gold for the first time for Serbia.
The other semifinalists will emerge today when when Ben Shelton take on Lorenzo Sonego, while Jannik Sinner squares up against Alex de Minaur.
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Djokovic has previously won Australia Open titles in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Meanwhile, in the ladies category,Aryna Sabalenka displayed tenacity in her match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, securing her spot in the Australian Open semi-finals as she seeks to win a third consecutive title.
The world number one started strong but faced challenges as Pavlyuchenkova took the second set and broke early in the decider. Nevertheless, Sabalenka remained composed and fought back to achieve a hard-fought 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
This marks the first time Sabalenka has dropped a set at the Australian Open since her triumph in 2023 final against Elena Rybakina.
Looking ahead, she expressed excitement about facing her friend Paula Badosa in the semi-finals after Badosa’s stunning victory over third seed Coco Gauff earlier in the day.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
