Jannik Sinner blasts past Rublev and into semi-final showdown with Djokovic
The rise of Jannik Sinner continued at warp speed as the 22-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time in his career, outclassing Andrey Rublev 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a late-night battle that ended a dramatic day in Melbourne Park.
As a result, one of the most highly anticipated matches since the draw ceremony is now a reality. Sinner, who is yet to drop a set, will duel with Novak Djokovic for a place in the final after the top seed moved closer to an 11th Australian Open title, overcoming an admirable challenge from Taylor Fritz, the 12th seed, before winning 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2 6-3.
With victory Djokovic yielded a record-extending 48th major semi-final and his 11th appearance in the Australian Open last four. Each time the 36year-old has reached this stage in Melbourne, he has won the tournament.
It took a significant effort from Djokovic to hold off Fritz, who entered the match with a 0-8 record against the Serb yet played bold, attacking tennis in the first two sets, serving extremely well and saving all 15 break points he faced. After holding two set points on Djokovic’s serve in the opening set, Fritz recovered to take the second set before Djokovic took control.
“I suffered a lot in the first couple of sets, also due to his high-quality tennis,” said Djokovic, whose on-court interview was conducted by Nick Kyrgios. “He was serving well, staying close to the line. He was kind of suffocating me in the rallies. Most of the rallies, I was on the back foot.”
Djokovic has now won 33 matches in a row at Melbourne Park, a record he shares with Monica Seles, a four-time champion. Djokovic said the distinction was even more special because of how he idolised Seles in his youth. “I really love Monica,” he said. “I have had Monica in my head when I was growing up in Serbia pretty much every single day, because Jelena Gencic – my tennis mother, as I like to call her – she passed away in 2012, worked with Monica when she was young.
“So I was hearing a lot about Monica, Monica this, Monica that, Monica eats this, Monica sleeps this much, Monica practises this way. So Monica was definitely one of my childhood idols and heroes, and I looked up to her very much. So when I got a chance to meet with her first time it was really – I was very nervous.”
A tough battle was expected between Sinner and Rublev, the fourth and fifth seeds respectively. After Sinner secured the first set, Rublev responded well, matching the Italian’s firepower through set two and establishing a 5-1 lead in the tiebreak. Under pressure for the first time in the tournament, Sinner stepped up. He struck the ball beautifully in the key moments, rolling through six points in a row from 1-5 to take the set.
Only one ranking spot separates Sinner and Rublev, who play a similar style of tennis based on dominating from inside the baseline, but the gap between the pair is already wide and growing. Sinner’s more complete and varied game alongside his composure under pressure proved the difference as he slammed the door shut in three sets. For Rublev, the quarter-final curse endures: he is now 0-10 in grand slam quarter-finals.
Swift straight-sets victories for Aryna Sabalenka and Sinner in the night session led to a reasonable 1.22am finish and spared Tennis Australia’s blushes after the Australian Open organisers came under fire for their poor scheduling, which could have led to an incredibly late finish had either match had proven more competitive.
Tennis Australia opted for a 1pm start to the day session on Rod Laver Arena, an hour later than the rest of the tournament. After Coco Gauff and Marta Kostyuk battled for 3hr 8min and then Djokovic’s win over Fritz took 3hs 45min, Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova did not enter Rod Laver Arena for the first night session match until 9pm, two hours later than scheduled.
During the first men’s semi-final, as the prospect of a late, late night loomed, officials at Tennis Australia spoke with the players in both night matches about the possibility of moving one of their matches to Margaret Court Arena.
“They ask our opinions, what do we think, and if we want to be moved right now,” Sabalenka said. “We just told them that: ‘Well, let’s see how this match goes. If it’s going to be really long, then yeah, maybe it’s a good idea to be moved.’ So they’re not going to finish like Medvedev finish the other night. But yeah, Novak won that set 6-2, and it still was quite early, and we decided to wait for this match.”