January 26th 2024.
Novak Djokovic's remarkable record in semi-finals at the Australian Open has finally come to an end. The Serbian, who has been a dominant force at the tournament for over a decade, suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Jannik Sinner in Friday's match. Djokovic, who was aiming for his 11th title at the tournament and a record-breaking 25th major, was left stunned by his own performance, admitting it was one of his worst Grand Slam displays.
In a bruising encounter, the 36-year-old was outplayed by his much younger opponent, who dominated the match with his superior skills. This loss marks the first time Djokovic has ever been defeated in a semi-final at the Australian Open, breaking his 10-match winning streak. It is also his first loss in Melbourne since his surprise defeat to Chung Hyeon in 2018.
After the match, Djokovic praised Sinner for his impressive performance and acknowledged that he was far from his best on the court. Speaking at the post-match press conference, he said, "First, I want to congratulate Sinner for his great match and tournament so far. He truly deserved to be in the final. He outplayed me completely today." He went on to admit that he was shocked by his own level of play, saying, "I was, in a way, shocked with my level – in a bad way! There wasn't much I was doing right in the first two sets and I guess this is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I have ever played, at least that I remember."
Despite his frustration with his performance, Djokovic maintained a gracious attitude, giving credit to his opponent and the crowd for their support. He mentioned that he tried to find serenity and uplift himself during the match, but it was a difficult task. He also acknowledged the fair treatment and support he received from the crowd, saying, "The crowd was great, they were really fair towards both players, lots of support for both Jannik and I. And that's all, congratulations to him."
When asked if he was surprised by his underwhelming performance, Djokovic admitted that he had not been playing up to his usual standards throughout the tournament. He said, "To be honest, the whole tournament I haven't played close to my best. Some matches, maybe against Mannarino, were great, but most of the matches I was not playing up to par – that is to say, the way I play normally here in Australia." He also mentioned that he did not feel like himself on the court during this tournament, which may have contributed to his defeat.
Although reaching the semi-finals is still a commendable achievement, Djokovic is a perfectionist who always expects the best from himself. He acknowledged this, saying, "One could say that the semi-finals is a great result, but I always expect the highest of myself and it wasn't meant to be today." Despite the disappointment of this loss, Djokovic remains determined and focused on his future matches, always striving for excellence.
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