"This is a very important Grand Slam for me," Sinner admitted during the post-match press conference on 30/1. "It was a good match from both sides. I had many opportunities but couldn't convert them, and that's what happens in tennis. It truly hurts a lot."

Before the semifinal, the Italian player had won his last five encounters against the Serbian veteran, including a streak of ten consecutive set wins. However, it was Djokovic who resiliently fought back to win in five sets, in a match lasting over four hours in Melbourne.

Sinner answers questions after the Australian Open semifinal, on Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, on the evening of 30/1. Photo: Reuters.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion ended Sinner's hopes of winning three consecutive Australian Open titles, while also snapping the world number two's 20-match winning streak. One of the statistics Sinner regretted most was his failure to convert crucial break-point opportunities, as Djokovic successfully saved 16 out of 18 break points he faced, including eight in the decisive fifth set.

"I had chances in the fifth set with many break points, but I didn't convert them," Sinner added. "He hit some incredible shots. I decided to try a few different things. Today they didn't work, but that's tennis. From the very first set, both of us delivered high-level tennis. The match was like a rollercoaster. Most of the time, he served very well, and I made a few errors in important rallies. Some days are just like that."

Given their recent head-to-head record and Djokovic's age of 38, many had prematurely written off the Serbian veteran's chances of winning the semifinal. But Sinner, on the contrary, was not surprised and will view this defeat as a learning experience.

"He has won 24 Grand Slams," the world number two said about Djokovic. "We understand each other very well, we understand how each other plays. I am not surprised because he has been the greatest player for many, many years. He plays fewer tournaments due to his age, but everyone knows how important Grand Slams are to me, to him, to Alcaraz, and to everyone. There's always an extra bit of motivation, and he played incredible tennis. I hope I can use this as a lesson to see what I can improve."

Key moments from the Djokovic - Sinner match on the evening of 30/1.

In the other semifinal, world number one Carlos Alcaraz won a dramatic five-set match against third seed Alexander Zverev, who had served for the match in the deciding set. Sinner and Alcaraz have been prominent figures in recent Grand Slam finals, having collectively won eight major titles in the past two years.

The match against Carlos Alcaraz on sunday 1/2 will be Djokovic's first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2024, and a major opportunity for him to become the first player to reach the 25 Grand Slam mark. If he wins, the 38-year-old player will also surpass Ken Rosewall to become the oldest singles champion at a Grand Slam event.

Vy Anh