MELBOURNE, Jan 21: Novak Djokovic refused to let anything stop his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam trophy in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Not a problem with his left leg. Not an early deficit.
And not the kid across the net, Carlos Alcaraz, who was making things difficult and eyeing his own bit of history.
Djokovic overcame it all, just as he has so often along the way to so many triumphs, moving into the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the 12th time with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alcaraz in a scintillating showdown Tuesday night between a pair of stars born 16 years apart and at opposite ends of their careers.
The action was non-stop, the shot-making brilliant, even as the match stretched on for more than 3 1/2 hours and nearly to 1 a.m. – never more so, perhaps, than when Alcaraz saved a break point that would have put Djokovic ahead 5-2 in the fourth set, allowing him to serve for the win.
The 33-stroke exchange was the longest of the evening, and when it ended with Djokovic sailing a forehand long, the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena went wild.
Djokovic reached for his bothersome leg and yelled toward his entourage; Alcaraz, his chest heaving, leaned on a towel box and grinned.
Turned out that only delayed the final result.
With his wife, son and daughter cheering in the stands, the No. 7-seeded Djokovic prevailed thanks to the sort of remarkable returning and no-mistakes-made groundstrokes against Alcaraz
That now-retired rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dealt with for years.
Djokovic enjoyed some of his own best efforts in the latter stages, pointing to his ear or blowing kisses or spreading his arms while puffing out his chest.
There was the forehand winner on a 22-stroke point that earned the break for a 5-3 lead in the third set.
There was that set’s last point, which included a back-to-the-net sprint to chase down a lob.
Alcaraz wasn’t shy, either, shouting “Vamos!” and pumping his fists after one particularly booming forehand in the fourth set.
On Friday, Djokovic’s 50th major semifinal will come against No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev, a two-time runner-up at majors who beat No. 12 Tommy Paul 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1.
“I wish this match today was the final,” said Djokovic, who next takes on German second seed Alexander Zverev.
“It’s just one of the most epic matches that I’ve played on this court, on any court, really. So thank you all for staying at 1 a.m. to watch us and support the players.”
ZVEREV BEATS PAUL
Alexander Zverev reached his third Australian Open semifinal with a 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1 win over 12th-seeded Tommy Paul of the United States on Tuesday.
The No. 2-ranked Zverev had to save a set point in each of the first two sets but then dominated both tiebreakers.
Zverev is a two-time Grand Slam runner-up. He never has made it that far in Australia.
The German next plays 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic Zverev needed three match points — one on Paul’s serve, and two more on his own — to clinch the victory, which he closed with an ace.
Paul was a semifinalist in Melbourne in 2023 and had won both of his previous matches against Zverev, but this was their first Grand Slam meeting.
“To be honest, I should have been down two sets to love. He played better than me,” Zverev said.
“I was not playing great, and I thought he was. I somehow won the first set, somehow won the second set I’m in the semifinals, somehow.” (PTI)