Novak Djokovic left in shock over Australian Open semi-final capitulation

The iron will of Novak Djokovic has finally been pierced at Melbourne Park, signalling the arrival of tennis’ next generation.

Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. Photos: Getty Images and News Corporation

This doesn’t happen to Novak Djokovic.

The Serbian cyborg has spent almost two decades rewriting tennis’ record books, using a singular drive and unmatched physicality to overwhelm his opponents en route to a bewildering 24 grand slam titles.

Like Rafa at Roland Garros, Novak owns Melbourne Park.

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He has claimed 10 of his major titles on those blue courts, was unbeaten in 33 straight matches and had survived almost 2,200 days without defeat, according to a ridiculous stat from the host broadcaster on Friday.

This just doesn’t happen to the man who is surely inching ever closer to universal claim as the greatest male player ever.

Except today, it did.

Novak Djokovic seemed lost for answers for large parts of Friday’s match. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The man who almost never loses wasn’t just beaten on Rod Laver Arena, he was thrashed, pulverised, dismantled at the hands of a rangy redhead.

Novak turns 37 in May, but he has exuded the strength, energy and enthusiasm of a 22-year-old through what had been yet another impressive Melbourne Park run.

Until Friday, when an actual 22-year-old made him look just a touch slow for perhaps the first time.

Sinner had form, he had beaten Djokovic two of the last three times they had faced.

But it wasn’t the same as this, was it, those efforts didn’t really seem to count except in the ATP Tour’s impressive head-to-head graphic.

One of Sinner’s victories was in an ATP Finals round robin match, which was usurped by defeat to Djokovic in that tournament’s final.

Novak always came through when it mattered most.

Except that was all flipped on its head on Friday in a 3 hour, 22 minute shocker that John Millman admitted should have ended sooner.

Only Djokovic’s iron will prevented a straight sets sweep, but his 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-3 loss was as swift as it was stunning.

Jannik Sinner signalled his true arrival as a grand slam force in stunning fashion. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

“He’s deservedly in the final,” a shattered Djokovic told the media afterwards. “He outplayed me completely today.

“I was in a way shocked with my level, in a bad way.

“Not much I was doing right in the first two sets ... I guess this is one of the worst grand slam matches I’ve ever played.”

Korean Chung Hyeon had been the last man to beat the Serbian superstar at the Australian Open, producing a shock straights set win in the fourth round way, way back in 2018.

Either side of being deported before the 2022 edition, Djokovic had pocketed four titles and was riding that 33-match winning streak until Australia Day, 2024.

“There’s a new king in Melbourne!” Sam Smith declared in commentary after match point.

Technically, we will need to wait a couple more days to see if Sinner does indeed reign supreme in Melbourne when he meets either Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev in the final.

But there was an undeniable sense on Friday of a changing of the guard.

Jannik Sinner has ended Novak Djokovic’s long winning streak in Melbourne in some style. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Showing the cool, calm disposition he had demonstrated all match, Sinner was barely sweating in his post-match interview.

“It was a very, very tough match," he said somewhat graciously. “I started off really well, for two sets I felt like he wasn’t feeling that great on court.

“Then in the third set I had match point, but this is tennis. I just tried to be ready for the next set, which I started really well.”

He would end it really well, too, finishing the match with the scarcely believable stat that he had not faced a single break point on serve. Not one.

Sinner has now beaten Djokovic in three of his past four attempts and if one or two of those earlier ones had a small asterisk, this one sure doesn’t.

He had the perfect response when by Jim Courier why he offers such trouble to the Serbian.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Ask him.”

Novak Djokovic makes a very unfamiliar exit from Melbourne Park. Picture: Mark Stewart

Pre-match, Millman understandably declared trying to beat Novak in Melbourne “the toughest test in tennis”.

Sinner has now achieved that feat, which must do enormous good to his confidence going forward in the sport.

Tennis fans have seemingly waited an eternity for the next generation to truly arrive following the dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

We are now going to have the first final in Melbourne without one of those biggest of big threes for the first time since 2005, a generation ago in real teams.

Considering Carlos Alcaraz has won two grand slams, Medvedev holds one and Zverev and Sinner are still standing in Melbourne, it seems finally, perhaps, the future is now.

Originally published as Novak Djokovic left in shock over Australian Open semi-final capitulation