Australian Open: Novak Djokovic crushes Carlos Alcaraz to book semi-final spot

The thrill promised when two top players meet in a high-stakes tussle was fully delivered as Novak Djokovic faced Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-final. Among the other matchups at the final eight stage of the first Grand Slam of the season, Djokovic vs. Alcaraz stood out as the most anticipated contest. The players lived up to the hype, staging a clash worthy of all the attention it received. The 37-year-old Serbian battled through leg discomfort to triumph over the young Spaniard, who was seeded third, significantly higher than Djokovic in the tournament. Djokovic's 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory dashed Alcaraz's hopes of becoming the youngest-ever player to complete a career Grand Slam on the ATP Tour in Melbourne. Meanwhile, the Serbian continues his quest to win a record 25th major title, a feat no one across the ATP and WTA Tour has managed to attain so far.

Novak Djokovic overcomes a remarkable challenge against Carlos Alcaraz to enter Australian Open semi-final

Novak Djokovic stood firm as Carlos Alcaraz challenged him into a gruelling three hour, 37 minute long match at the Rod Laver Arena. Nole returned to the court after a medical timeout, with his left leg taped, only to fire brutal baseline rallies with powerful strikes. Alcaraz appeared sharper in the opening set as he used the drop shot to challenge the Serbian. Alcaraz's strategy paid off as he claimed the first set, while Djokovic’s movement appeared limited, managing just three winners compared to Alcaraz’s 13.

In the second set, Djokovic came out firing, surging to a 3-0 lead as Alcaraz slowed down. However, the 21-year-old Spaniard regrouped, breaking back to level at 3-3.  The third set saw Djokovic hitting with ferocity to put Alcaraz under constant pressure. He recorded 11 winners with only four unforced errors while breaking the Spaniard twice. The highlight came on set point, during a jaw-dropping rally that had both players sprinting across the court inside Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic roared in triumph after claiming the set, giving him a two-sets-to-one lead. Riding this momentum, he dominated the fourth set to seal the victory.

Now, at 37 years old, Djokovic has become just the third man in the Open Era, alongside Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer, to reach the Australian Open semi-finals at that age or older. While Alcaraz, deemed as a next gen legend, has stunned Djokovic at the green courts of Wimbledon to snatch title-victories, the 21-year-old is yet to win a contest on the hard court against the Serb. Novak Djokovic next faces Alexander Zverev, who beat Tommy Paul earlier in the day, in the semi-final at the Australian Open.

“I want to say my utmost respect and admiration for Carlos, everything he stands for and what he has achieved so far in his career,” Djokovic said following his hard-fought victory. “What a terrific guy he is, and an even better competitor. Youngest ever No. 1 in the world, four Grand Slams, and I’m sure we are going to see a lot of him. Maybe not as much as I would like, but he is going to be there for sure longer than me. I just wish this match today was the final, honestly. It’s one of the most epic matches I have played on this court, on any court really.”