Australian Open Day 10 Wrap: Djokovic Beats Alcaraz In Blockbuster As Sabalenka Survives
Serbian superstar and tennis great Novak Djokovic showcased his enduring brilliance In a late-night showdown as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping Australian Open quarterfinal, setting up a highly anticipated semifinal against Alexander Zverev. Djokovic, 37, demonstrated his legendary prowess on the Rod Laver Arena, securing a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory in a match that concluded just before 1 a.m.
With this win, Djokovic moves closer to capturing his 11th title in Melbourne and an all-time record 25th Grand Slam crown. The former world No. 1, now coached by longtime rival Andy Murray, was in top form, thrilling the crowd with his trademark defiance as he cupped his ear to the audience after winning crucial points.
Alcaraz, the world No. 3, will have to wait another year for his promised kangaroo tattoo, which he vowed to get if he clinched the Australian Open title. This loss marks a disappointment for the 21-year-old, who has yet to advance past the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park, despite previously defeating Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon finals.
Djokovic extended his head-to-head advantage over the young Spaniard to 5-3, having recently triumphed over him at the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, Zverev, the world No. 2, also advanced to the semifinals after overcoming American Tommy Paul in a hard-fought match that ended 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/0), 2-6, 6-1. The German’s match was briefly interrupted by an unusual incident involving a feather drifting into play, leading to a replay call from the umpire.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka continued her quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title, defeating Russian 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a challenging encounter, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. The world No. 1 will face Spanish 11th seed Paula Badosa in the semifinals.
Badosa’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable; just a year ago, she was ranked outside the top 100 due to a serious back injury. After her stunning victory over world No. 3 Coco Gauff (7-5, 6-4), Badosa expressed her disbelief at her comeback, stating, “A year ago, I didn’t know if I had to retire from this sport, and now I’m here playing against the best in the world.”
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner set to face home favorite Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals. The winner will meet American 21st seed Ben Shelton or unseeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the semifinals.
Additionally, Iga Swiatek aims to solidify her title hopes as she faces Emma Navarro, with the winner advancing to play either Madison Keys or Elina Svitolina in the last four.
