Melbourne, Jan 26 (IANS) Daniil Medvedev advanced through to the final of the Australian Open for a third time after producing a dramatic comeback to beat Alexander Zverev 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3 in the second semifinal clash at Rod Laver Arena here on Friday.

With his 27th match win in Melbourne Park, Medvedev is the 13th man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open final on three or more occasions, having lost in 2021 and 2022, when he led Rafael Nadal by two sets.

The script initially favoured Zverev, who stormed into a 4-1 lead in the first set with a double break, seemingly dictating the narrative. However, Medvedev, battling the physical toll of gruelling matches, refused to succumb to the German’s dominance.

The pivotal moment arrived at 5-5, a juncture where Medvedev, fueled by an indomitable spirit, fought back into contention. A dramatic 51-shot rally unfolded, leaving spectators in awe, but it was Zverev who clinched the set with a decisive winner.

As the second set commenced, Zverev continued his surge, securing a break at 2-2 and consolidating his advantage to go 4-2 up. Unyielding in his pursuit, Zverev closed out the set with clinical precision, leaving Medvedev with a mountain to climb. Undeterred, the Russian took a strategic bathroom break at the end of the set, emerging with a renewed vigour that belied the physical toll.

The third set unfolded as a captivating battle, with both players matching each other shot for shot. The set culminated in a tie-break, a fitting conclusion to a battle marked by equality. Medvedev, seemingly on the brink of defeat at 3-1 down, seized the moment as cracks appeared in Zverev’s game. With unwavering focus, he capitalised on his opponent’s errors, forcing a fourth set against all odds.

What ensued was a war of attrition, with Medvedev adopting a relentless baseline grind that stifled Zverev’s pace. The momentum had shifted, and the Russian maestro took control, breaking Zverev to go 3-2 ahead. The tension mounted as they reached another tie-break, where Medvedev, propelled by a remarkable forehand drop shot, secured a set point and aced Zverev to force a decider.

Now in the ascendancy, Medvedev continued to dictate the rallies, forcing errors from Zverev’s racket. A crucial break at 3-2 paved the way for Medvedev to serve out the match, completing a comeback for the ages. The 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3 triumph catapulted Medvedev into his sixth Grand Slam final, setting the stage for a showdown with the formidable Jannik Sinner.

Melbourne, Jan 26 (IANS) The 10-time champion in Melbourne, Novak Djokovic has termed the Australian Open 2024 semifinal defeat by the Italian Jannik Sinner as “one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played”.

Sinner, at 22 years the youngest man to reach a final at Melbourne Park since 2008, registered a stunning 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 triumph at the Rod Laver Arena, ending Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak in Melbourne and handing him his first Australian Open defeat since 2018.

Djokovic found himself overpowered and outplayed by the young contender. The Serbian maestro, known for his dominance on the court, was visibly frustrated as he struggled to find his rhythm, committing an uncharacteristic 54 unforced errors.

In a post-match press conference, Djokovic, critiquing his own performance with brutal honesty, said, “I was shocked with my level in a bad way”.

Acknowledging the stark contrast between his usual brilliance and the lacklustre display on that fateful day, he admitted, “There was not much I was doing right in the first two sets. This is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played; at least that I remember. [It’s] not a very pleasant feeling playing this way. Credit to him for doing everything better than me in every aspect of the game. I tried, I fought. I managed to raise the level a little bit in the third, saved a match point, and played a good tie-break.

“But (in) the fourth set, (it was a) very bad game to lose, 40-0 up on 1-2, against the wind a little bit. The performance-wise level of my tennis was really not great,” said Djokovic.

Djokovic had dropped three sets en route to the last-four stage at Melbourne Park, but his dominance had shown in all the matches he had played before his encounter with Sinner.

The Italian raced into a two-set lead, and the top seed’s third-set revival would prove only temporary.

“The whole tournament I haven’t really played close to my best,” Djokovic admitted. “Maybe against (Adrian) Mannarino, I was great, but most of the matches I was not playing up to par [compared to] the way I play here in Australia normally.

“It did surprise me because I thought it wouldn’t be that bad in the first two sets. But on the other hand, I didn’t feel really myself on the court during this tournament. One can say the semi-finals is a great result, of course, but I always expect the highest of myself, and it wasn’t meant to be today.

“There’s a lot of negative things that I’ve done on the court today in terms of my game that I’m not really pleased with; return, movement, forehand, backhand. Everything was just subpar,” said the tennis legend from Serbia.

Despite the bitter defeat, Djokovic swiftly dispelled any notions of age catching up with him. At 36, he remained resolute, expressing high hopes for future tournaments, including the Grand Slams and the Olympics.

“I still have high hopes for other Slams (and the) Olympics, and whatever tournaments that I’ll play. It’s not the feeling that I’m used to,” he confessed, reflecting on the deviation from his customary standards.

“This tournament hasn’t been up to the standard that I would normally play or expect myself to play, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the beginning of the end. Let’s see what happens in the rest of the season,” he said.

Melbourne, Jan 26 (IANS) Jannik Sinner recorded a dominant win against 10-time champion Novak Djokovic to reach his first Grand Slam final, scuttling Serbian’s bid for a record-extending 11th Australian Open in the semifinals on Friday.

The youngest man to reach a final at Melbourne Park since 2008, the 22-year-old Italian registered a stunning 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6-8), 6-3 triumph at Rod Laver Arena, ending Djokovic’s 33-match Melbourne winning streak and handing him his first Australian Open defeat since 2018.

“It was a very, very tough match. I started off really well. For two sets, I felt like he was not feeling that great on court so I just tried to keep pushing. Then in the third set I had match point and I missed the forehand, but this is tennis. I just tried to be ready also for the next set, which I started off really well. And obviously the atmosphere was so great to play here,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.

Only sixth months ago, world No.1 Djokovic had few difficulties keeping the Italian contained in the Wimbledon semifinals, but a pair of confidence-boosting wins from three subsequent encounters had invigorated Sinner’s belief, AusOpen reports.

In just his second Grand Slam semifinal, Sinner paid no attention to precedent and after three hours and 23 minutes handed Djokovic his first loss against a top-five opponent at Melbourne Park since the Serb fell to Roger Federer in the fourth round in 2007.

Sinner will meet either third seed Daniil Medvedev or sixth seed Alexander Zverev for his maiden major trophy on Sunday.

“The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief that I can play against the best players in the world. I’m really happy that I can play Sunday my first final. Let’s see how it goes. But I’m really happy, I’ll come here with a smile and I’ll try my best,” the Italian said.

Despite the defeat, Djokovic will remain No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. Sinner could rise to a career-high of No. 3 if he wins his first major title and Daniil Medvedev loses to Alexander Zverev in Friday’s second semifinal.

Melbourne, Jan 26 (IANS) In the first championship match between two top-four seeded teams at Melbourne Park in 23 years, Hsieh Su-wei and Jan Zielinski emerged triumphant in the mixed doubles event.

The No.3 seeds fought past second seeds American Desirae Krawczyk and Brit Neal Skupski, 6-7(5-7), 6-4, 11-9 in an enthralling and high-quality final at Rod Laver Arena.

Hsieh and Zielinski saved a championship point in a high-pressure match tiebreak, before sealing victory in just under two hours.

It is a first major mixed doubles title for both 38-year-old Hsieh and 27-year-old Zielinski, who fought back from a 2-4 deficit in the second set and then almost squandered a 7-4 advantage in a thrilling match tiebreak, Aus Open reports.

Their victory sees Hsieh become the first player from Chinese Taipei to win an Australian Open mixed doubles title, while Zielinski is the first Polish player in history to capture a major mixed doubles crown.

Hsieh has the chance to win another Australian Open title on Sunday, when she competes in the women’s doubles final alongside Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

Melbourne, Jan 25 (IANS) Zheng Qinwen has etched her name into the annals of tennis history, storming into her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open 2024. The 12th seed, hailing from China, secured a commanding 6-4, 6-4 victory over qualifier Dayana Yastremska in an exhilarating showdown that lasted an hour and 42 minutes, here at the Rod Laver Arena.

While Zheng encountered some challenges with her first serve, her relentless pursuit of victory propelled her to become the first Chinese player since Li Na in 2014 to reach a major final at the Australian Open. The 21-year-old, starting the tournament as the world No.15, now stands on the cusp of breaking into the top 10 when the new rankings are unveiled on Monday.

Supported fervently by vocal fans at Rod Laver Arena, Zheng’s remarkable journey to the final showcases not only her individual brilliance but also underscores the growing prominence of Chinese tennis on the global stage.

Zheng’s path to the championship clash is set against the defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Earlier, the second seed, with a 1-0 record against Zheng, secured her spot in the final by overcoming the formidable challenge of reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff in straight sets.

The upcoming Saturday night showdown promises to be a spectacle, with Sabalenka aiming to retain her title and Zheng seeking to make history with a Grand Slam triumph. Their previous encounter in the quarterfinals of the US Open saw Sabalenka maintaining a clean slate against Zheng, not facing a single break point.