Australian Open: Sinner knocks off Djokovic’s crown

The Italian silences the Rod Laver Arena crowd with an assured performance, answering every question asked of him to run the champion out of town. Long live the king.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner celebrates his shock win over Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. Picture: AFP

Novak Djokovic’s mother coronated her son when he won the 2008 Australian Open. Taking it upon herself to sledge Roger Federer, she declared, “Long live the king. The king is dead.” I couldn’t find Jannik Sinner’s mum after he toppled Djokovic at Melbourne Park on Friday. More’s the pity. She might have been good for a quote.

Let’s start at the start of an extraordinary day. It’s 2.30pm. There’s a net, sidelines, baselines, service lines, quick new balls, slow old balls, an umpire, fans, commentators, ball kids, tall kids, short kids, young kids, older kids and a whole lot of question marks hanging over Rod Laver Arena when Djokovic starts his Australian Open semi-final against Sinner.

Is this the beginning of the end for Djokovic? The passing of the baton? Changing of the guard?

The true rise of Generation Next in the form of the 22-year-old Sinner? It feels like a pivotal match in men’s tennis. The Djokovic era cannot last forever. Age shall weary and the years condemn him at some stage. There has to be a day when the 36-year-old comes back to the pack. Perhaps this day.

It’s 6.09pm. Holy smokes. Sinner has beaten Djokovic 6-1 6-2, 6-7 (6/8) 6-3.

The masses inside RLA have been stunned into silence in the early throes of the afternoon before screaming themselves hoarse for the sheer brilliance of the ultimate Italian job. From the first minute, the young fella has fairly clubbed the ball, hitting it impeccably cleanly, laser-like control, out-rallying Djokovic from the back court, doing a Djoker on Djoker.

He was cool as a cucumber, quietly rattling a fist like he held an invisible tambourine at his Australian coach Darren Cahill, who kept leaping to his feet and rattling an invisible tambourine of his own. Sinner was calm, composed and clinical. In the end, he was just too bloody good. Long live the king.

Djokovic acknowledges Sinner’s performance after the match. Picture: AFP

On reaching his first major final, Sinner said: “Awesome. I don’t know what to say, really.

“For two sets I felt like he wasn’t feeling that great on court so I just tried to keep pushing.”

Sinner held court. It used to belong to Djokovic. He’s beaten the 24-time major champion in three of their last four meetings. That’s significant. A pattern. It felt like a seismic movement atop the men’s game. It wasn’t just that the red-haired, freckle-faced Sinner won. Notwithstanding the third-set glitch, he dominated. Djokovic has lost to the young punks before, most notably the five-set classic to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s Wimbledon final, but this was different. This was emphatic.

“I have the feeling I can still improve a lot more,” Sinner said.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner – Sinner was the best player on RLA. Djokovic wasn’t even angry. He wasn’t close enough for long enough on the scoreboard to yell expletives at his entourage.

He didn’t throw a racquet, notwithstanding a late swipe at a microphone. He was more exasperated than enraged. He often appeared resigned to the inevitable.

“I want to congratulate Sinner for playing a great match,” the Serbian said. “He outplayed me completely today. I was shocked by my level – in a bad way. This was one of the worst grand slam matches I have ever played. Not a pleasant feeling but at the same time, credit to him for doing everything better than me.”

Djokovic’s winning streak at Melbourne Park was a Winx-like 33. There it stopped. He looked as stunned as everyone else. Almost introverted, as if he didn’t really have the foggiest about how to stem the flow of games against him.

He wasn’t at his best but Sinner didn’t allow him breathing space.

Djokovic toiled away and won a tense tie-breaker but if the King of Melbourne Park envisioned a stirring five-set triumph, he was a king of wishful thinking.

Sinner looked stressed only once. He lost a match point at 6-5 in the tie-breaker. The din was incredible and by now the atmosphere was electrifying – we might be done in a moment or in another three sets. Djokovic and great white sharks are two creatures on Earth you don’t want to give a second sniff. Sinner grimaced. The great Serb won the set and raised a regal fist to the sky. It didn’t stay there long. He lost his first match at the Open since 2018.

Sinner played beautifully. And he played incredibly tough. He stared Djokovic down, fleet-footed and long-limbed, fresh-faced and indefatigable, big-serving and bold-hearted, running him out of town. Djokovic was gallant and gracious in defeat. He trotted to the net like a man who knew he was beaten fair and square. Sinner answered every question asked of him. Djokovic? Long live the king.