Australian Open Men’s Semifinals: Who Can Come Up Clutch The Best?

Australian Open
Australian Open (photo: Tennis Australia/Luke Hemer)

MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, January 23, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Novak Djokovic‘s Australian Open triumph over Carlos Alcaraz Tuesday night might have felt like a final even if it was only a quarterfinal.

After all, the 37-year-old, 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who has won the Happy Slam 10 times, and his intergenerational rival Alcaraz had met twice in major finals at Wimbledon – won both times by the 21-year-old Spaniard – as well as in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics, which Djokovic won. Plus, there was a full house inside Rod Laver Arena and a worldwide audience was watching and streaming the match – first ball to last ball – at all hours of the day and night.

The former No. 1 Djokovic, seeded seventh in Melbourne this year, absorbed a gut punch or two during his three-hour, 37-minute four-set win over Alcaraz to advance to Friday’s semifinal showdown against World No. 2 Alexander Zverev of Germany. Actually, the Serbian great needed a medical timeout early in the match to deal with an upper leg issue that he later said was “very similar” to an injury he suffered in 2023.

Now, with a few days off to rest and recover, Djokovic will be back on Rod Laver Arena in the afternoon session to play Zverev, who advanced over No. 12 seed Tommy Paul of the United States. In the evening session, World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy will face No. 21 seed Ben Shelton of the United States in a battle of big ball strikers.

Who can come up clutch the best with so much riding on the outcomes of these two semifinal matches Friday?

“Now it’s really about recovery,” is how Djokovic put early Wednesday morning following his 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alcaraz. “I’m concerned. I am, to be honest, physically.

“But if I manage somehow to, yeah, be physically good enough, I think mentally, emotionally I’m as motivated as I can be.”

For Djokovic, having an extra day off compared to Sinner and Shelton, who played their respective quarterfinal matches on Wednesday – Shelton slugged out a lengthy, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory against unseeded Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, while Sinner dropped only six games to beat No. 8 seed Alex de Minaur of Australia – might prove beneficial. Going up against Zverev, he’s 8-4 lifetime and 3-0 in Grand Slam competition.

Meanwhile, it’s been a good Aussie fortnight for Zverev, who has only dropped two sets in Melbourne. Tuesday’s 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1 win over Paul was a milestone achievement for Zverev as he passed Hall of Famer Boris Becker for most Australian Open men’s singles wins by a German player, ahead of Boris Becker. He also jumped ahead of Tommy Haas for second place among German men in overall Grand Slam victories.

“I think the big difference in the thing that everybody looks at is Boris Becker lifted this trophy twice,” Zverev said in one of his news conferences earlier this week. Let’s not forget that Zverev lost both of his Grand Slam finals in five sets – at the US Open in 2020 and at the 2024 French Open.

“I haven’t yet. So that is, I think, way more important than just match wins.

“Of course, I’m happy to be on that list, and I’m happy to be in that conversation of greats in German tennis. But yeah, lifting the trophy is what is on my mind.”

In the other semifinal between Sinner and Shelton, the South Tyrolean leads their career series 4-1. The defending champion comes in having won 12 straight matches in Melbourne, starting with his title run in 2024, and he’s come out on top in 19 straight hard-court major matches. Going back to the end of last season, Sinner has compiled an overall 19-match winning streak, which includes titles won in Shanghai, the Nitto ATP Finals and with Italy at the Davis Cup.

“It’s a difficult match for both of us,” Sinner said following his 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 victory over de Minaur “We know each other a little bit better now. We had some tough matches last year, so let’s see what’s coming. [He has] one of the biggest serves we have on Tour. He’s a very aggressive player, an all-around player. He can go to the net, he can stay back.”

Indeed, the 22-year-old big-serving lefty from the United States has been a battler throughout the tournament. All but one of his five matches have been decided in the fourth-set and he’s spent almost 15 hours on court.

In facing Sinner, Shelton will complete a trifecta of playing three top Italians after defeating No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti in the third round and Sonego in the quarterfinal round.

“In majors, best-of-five sets is a physical test and a serious mental test,” Shelton said after advancing over 38-year-old Frenchman Gaël Monfils, who retired early in the fourth set of their round of 16 tussle. “I always back myself competitively when I am in these types of moments. Sometimes it can be tougher for me to get my foot on the gas when it’s two out of three sets, but you play three out of five and feel you have all the time in the world.

“I like to think I am pretty fit thanks [to my team] and I can usually go the distance.”

Thursday’s Australian Open results

Friday’s Australian Open order of play

By the numbers

If Jannik Sinner defeats Ben Shelton in their AO semifinal Friday evening, he would become the youngest man to reach multiple Australian Open finals since Jim Courier in 1992-93. An upset win by Shelton would make him the youngest man through to the AO final since 20-year-old Novak Djokovic in 2008.

“Quotable …”

“I feel more and more connected with Andy every day. We face challenges every single day. People don’t see that, obviously.

“I mean, we try to make the most out of every day and grow together. He’s been as committed to my career and this tournament as he can be.

“So it was kind of a gesture of appreciation, respect for him, and the fact that he’s out there, and he doesn’t need to be. He accepted to work with me. He’s giving all his support to me, to the whole team, and trying to make it work.

“This was a huge win for all of us, including Andy and myself, you know, for the relationship.”

– No. 7 seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia, during his post-match news conference Tuesday after defeating World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and embracing his new coach, Andy Murray, court side.

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