Australian Open: Jannik Sinner Breaks Djokovic’s 33-Game Winning Streak

• 22-year-old Italian reaches first-ever Grand Slam final
• Shocks 10-time champion 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6) 6-3

Signs were up that the unexpected was bound to happen and finally, it did. World number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open Friday to Jannik Sinner. It is the first time that the Serb has lost a semifinal or a final in the tournament he has won a record 10 times, a perfect 20-0 in the tournament’s most important matches.

And which player could have done it than Sinner, the rising 22-year-old Italian who beat Djokovic twice at the end of last year?  The Italian crushed his strangely out-of-sync opponent early, before preventing one of his signature surges, to outplay the 24-time Grand Slam champion 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3

Indeed, Sinner’s evolution since the final months of last year has been undeniable with his game becoming well-rounded. Carrying himself with a newfound toughness and importantly, learning how to win constantly, he took Djokovic to the cleaners in a nerve-wracking encounter at Rod Laver Arena.

Answering tennis pundits’ questions without hesitation, the fourth-seeded Italian showed quality by dominating the opening sets, clearly demonstrating his supreme resilience by recovering from a missed match point to topple Djokovic and reach a grand slam final for the first time in his young career.

With this monumental victory, Sinner ends one of the all-time great streaks at any tournament. He is the first player to defeat Djokovic, the top seed and defending champion, since Hyeon Chung in 2018, a streak that has seen 33 consecutive wins at Melbourne Park. The Italian is also the first player to ever defeat Djokovic at the semi-final stage or onwards at the Australian Open, with the Serb previously compiling a 10-0 record in semi-finals.

Before the tournament commenced, it was obvious that of all the players who could stare Djokovic down and potentially pull off a monumental victory, Sinner had the best chance. That sentiment was further bolstered by his spectacular form through the rounds.

After ending last season by defeating Djokovic in the group stages of the ATP Finals and then en route to Italy’s Davis Cup triumph, Sinner has been on fire. Reaching his first Australian Open semi-final without dropping a set, the one-time things could have become complicated, he responded to a 1-5 deficit in the second set tiebreak against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals by reeling off six points in a row.

From the very beginning, the belief was present as Sinner exploded out of the blocks playing at the top level. In the frantic, physical exchanges that unfolded, he dictated the points from on top of the baseline, demolishing the ball off both wings and effortlessly changing directions. – With agencies’ reports