Defending champion Novak Djokovic and Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner are set to clash in a blockbuster match at the Australian Open. The highly anticipated Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner semi-final is set to take place at the Rod Laver Arena on Friday, January 26 (as per Australia).
Jannik Sinner cruised past Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Italian needed just over 2 hours and 30 minutes to send Rublev packing after a straight sets win. The 22-year-old won the match 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 and is yet to drop a set in this year’s Australian Open. Now, in his first-ever Australian Open semi-final, the World No.4 Sinner will face the daunting task of facing the World No.1 Novak Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic is the king of the Australian Open. The 10-time champion recovered from a slow start to beat Taylor Fritz in four sets to make his 11th Australian Open semi-final. The Serbian superstar has never been beaten in the semifinals or the final match of the ‘Happy Slam’. Chasing a record 11th title in Melbourne, Djokovic has enjoyed a decent run at this year’s Australian Open. The 36-year-old has dropped an odd set but looked comfortable overall throughout the competition so far. Now, he awaits his biggest challenge yet, facing the in-form Jannik Sinner.
Interestingly, Jannik Sinner has looked far better than Novak Djokovic in the competition. Sinner has come through unscathed, without dropping a single set in the competition upto the quarterfinals. No opponent has really been menacing for Sinner, as he has also won the last 25 out of his 27 matches since his US Open 2023 Round of 16 exit.
Novak Djokovic has a better head-to-head record between the duo. But Sinner has enjoyed success against the Serbian in recent meetings. Djokovic leads the head-to-head 4-2, with Sinner winning the two of their last three meetings. In what could potentially be a classic encounter, The SportsRush predicts Jannik Sinner to win in four sets or more.
The pair are likely to cross paths on Friday, January 26 in the afternoon session at the Rod Laver Arena. ESPN+ and Tennis Channel will showcase the Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner live streaming in the USA not before Thursday, January 25, 10.30 PM ET (Friday, 2.30 PM local time). In Australia, fans can the Djokovic vs Sinner live streaming on 9Now. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s Celsius in slightly cloudy conditions.
Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner head to head
Novak Djokovic has got the better of Jannik Sinner so far in his career. The Serbian has dominated against the Italian and won their last Grand Slam meeting at the Wimbledon semi-final in 2023. However, Sinner has improved his game massively from the end of last year. The Italian has not only beaten Djokovic twice but also guided Italy to win over Serbia at the Davis Cup.
Jannik Sinner is also chasing a unique record in the semi-final. The Italian can be the third ever player, after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, to beat Novak Djokovic at the Davis Cup, ATP Finals and Grand Slam. While the Serbian superstar will start as the favorite, Sinner will be confident in his own right. The 22-year-old is fresh from beating Djokovic twice in two weeks at the end of last year and fancy his chances of an upset in the semi-finals.
