The king’s redemption: 38-year-old Novak Djokovic dethrones Sinner in five-set Melbourne absolute masterpiece
Novak Djokovic reached his 11th Australian Open final on Friday night by ending Jannik Sinner’s 20-match winning streak with a staggering 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory, setting up a generational showdown against Carlos Alcaraz.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2026 | © AP Photo/Aaron Favila/SIPA
The echoes of the legendary 2012 final returned to Rod Laver Arena on Friday night as Novak Djokovic produced what many are calling the greatest performance of his late-career renaissance. The 38-year-old Serb, the oldest man left in the draw, defeated the two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in 4 hours and 12 minutes a match that defied logic, age, and momentum.
By snapping Sinner’s 20-match tour-level win streak and his 19-match unbeaten run in Melbourne, Djokovic secured his 38th Grand Slam final and his first at a major since Wimbledon 2024. This victory was particularly sweet for the No 4 seed, who had lost five consecutive matches to the world No 2 before this evening’s historic breakthrough.
The quality of tennis remained at an extreme high throughout the four-hour battle, with Djokovic eventually winning 138 total points to Sinner’s 154, Djokovic shone on all the pressure points. After being led two sets to zero in his quarterfinal against Musetti—before the Italian’s retirement—Djokovic appeared to have found a level not seen since his Alcaraz quarterfinal in 2025, if not his historic 2023 season which led him to 24 Slams.
The match hinged on a high-wire final set where Djokovic’s defensive resilience was tested to its breaking point. The Serb saved eight break points in the third set, including digging himself out of a 0-40 deficit at 4-3. The drama reached its peak at 1h26 of the morning when Djokovic served for the match at 5-4, 40-30. Sinner, who remained almost smiling throughout the tension, missed what appeared to be two penalty shots on match point before finally swatting a forehand wide.
A masterclass in survival and the return of the Melbourne king
The performance was a mindblowing display of mental fortitude. Djokovic admitted after the match that the environment felt surreal, noting that the level of interest and the quality of play were high enough that it felt like he had only a small chance to win. By finishing the contest at 1h36 in the morning, Djokovic preserved his chance to win a 11th Australian Open and 25th Grand Slam title. To this stage, Djokovic has never lost in ten appearances between 2008 and 2023.
Reflecting on the physical toll and the late start following the record-breaking Alcaraz-Zverev semifinal, Djokovic highlighted his ability to “push himself to the limit”.
The stage is now set for a blockbuster final between the top seed Carlos Alcaraz and the king of Melbourne. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 5-4 and has defeated him in Melbourne in the star match of the 2025 edition. Alcaraz won their most recent meeting and arrives in his first Australian Open final after a five-hour and 27-minute marathon against Alexander Zverev.
The clash between the 38-year-old and the 22-year-old will be a battle for more history, like at Wimbledon 2023 and 2024, when Alcaraz prevailed twice, but also like at the Olympics 2024, latest glory moment of Djokovic to date. On Sunday, the oldest finalist in Melbourne’s history will face one of its youngest, in a match that promises to define the 2026 season.
