January 26, (THEWILL) – In a seismic upset, 22-year-old Italian tennis prodigy, Jannik Sinner, defeated world number one Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals on Friday. Sinner dismantled the 10-time Australian Open champion in stunning fashion, winning 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3 to advance to his first career Grand Slam final.
Displaying ruthless aggression, Sinner overpowered Djokovic with his lightning-quick groundstrokes and booming serve, annihilating the veteran in the first two sets. Though Djokovic battled back to capture the third set in a tiebreaker after saving a match point, Sinner rediscovered his world-beating form to close out the Serbian star in four sets.
In one of the biggest wins of his young career, Sinner ended Djokovic’s bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. The loss was Djokovic’s first at the Australian Open since 2018, snapping his 33-match unbeaten run in Melbourne. Burdened by an uncharacteristic number of errors, Djokovic was unable to create a single break point against the overpowering Italian.
Sinner’s monumental upset booked him a spot in Sunday’s Australian Open final against either Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev. At just 22 years of age, the fast-rising Sinner now has the opportunity to capture his maiden Grand Slam title.
Regardless of the final result, Sinner’s stunning victory over an all-time great cements his status as a star on the rise and potential future world number one.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
