Novak Djokovic May Be About to Do the Unthinkable

"Until Friday, this year's Australian Open was highly predictable and spiritually dull. So anticlimactic and upset free were the first 12 days that the story of the tournament had been the peaceful manner in which Coco Gauff, reeling from her quarterfinals loss, sought out a private area in the bowels of Rod Laver Arena to dismantle her racquet (she was caught on-camera, prompting 48 hours of discourse about surveillance and privacy or the lack thereof)."

"Over the past two seasons, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, accustomed to being on top for so long, had emerged as a consistent third wheel to the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly, reaching four major semifinals and losing to one of them at each. At 38 - an unthinkable age to be going this deep into majors - the Serb was an 8-1 underdog against Sinner going into their Friday semifinal, having lost his previous five matches against the world No 2."

Play at the Australian Open was predictable and low on major surprises until late in the tournament. Coco Gauff reacted emotionally after a quarterfinal loss, seeking a private area to dismantle her racquet, an episode that prompted debate about surveillance and privacy. The men's field appeared dominated by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who had contested the previous three major finals. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time major champion aged 38, had been a peripheral third wheel and an 8-1 underdog to Sinner, having lost five straight meetings. Djokovic's five-set semifinal victory over Sinner in the early hours of Saturday ranks among his most impressive achievements. Analysts noted contrasts between Sinner's aggression and Djokovic's counterpunching and power-absorption approach.

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