Novak Djokovic is closing in on a record-breaking 25th grand slam title after stunning his Gen Z rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in a quarter-final classic at the Australian Open.
The Serbian, 16 years Alcaraz’s senior, recovered from a set down to triumph 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in an epic three-hour and 37-minute showdown on Rod Laver Arena.
After having his serve broken late in the first set to go down 4-5, Djokovic took a medical time-out to have his left thigh strapped.
The 37-year-old might have lost the first set after returning to the court, but the break allowed him to refocus for his charge at Alcaraz for the rest of the match.
If Djokovic is able to win a record-extending 11th Australian Open title, it would make him the most successful singles player of all-time.
The seventh seed is locked on 24 major titles, the same number as Margaret Court won during her singles career from 1960 to 1973.
Djokovic will face German second seed Alexander Zverev, who is aiming to win his first major title, in the semi-finals on Friday night.
If Djokovic can get past Zverev – which would be his 100th win at the Australian Open – world No.1 Jannik Sinner could be all that stands between him and becoming the undisputed greatest of all-time.
Zverev might be hoping a feather doesn’t get in his way on the tennis court again.
Second-seeded Zverev, chasing an elusive maiden grand slam title, was almost knocked down by, of all things, a feather in his quarter-final against Tommy Paul before he steadied to prevail 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-0) 2-6 6-1.
Tennis’s biggest unfulfilled talent, with two grand slam final losses to his name, Zverev won the first set in a tiebreak, fighting back after Paul served for the set at 6-5.
But with a serving Paul leading the second set 4-2, Zverev had his feathers ruffled.
On break point, the German was incensed at the chair umpire after someone in the crowd yelled out just as he was about to swing at a ball close to the line.
The 27-year-old dropped the following point and received a code violation for an audible obscenity.
Then, at deuce, a point was replayed after a feather landed near the ball just as Zverev was about to hit it, with Paul receiving another first serve.
Zverev plucked the feather – courtesy of one of the many seagulls in the Rod Laver Arena rafters – from the court and brandished it at the umpire in frustration.
“Buddy, it’s a feather!” Zverev squawked.
“There’s millions of them on the court.”
But rather than implode, the German showed he was no featherweight, proving unflappable as he forced the set to a tiebreak.
“I’ve never had that before that we stop a point because of a feather. So that was new to me,” Zverev laughed.
“Not sure it was a hindrance to anybody. It’s not like a hard object. Like even if the tennis ball hits the feather, it doesn’t really change anything.
“It doesn’t change the trajectory of the ball or the bounce of the ball or anything like that.
“But, yeah, I don’t know. Maybe the umpire did the right call and maybe not. I have no idea.
“But it was a bit frustrating because obviously Tommy then would get a first serve, and he won the point with that serve as well. I got a warning after that. So it was a bit much happening in that stage.”
Over on the women’s side Paula Badosa advanced to the semi-finals.
This time last year she was contemplating the unwelcome prospect of early retirement and life after tennis as she struggled with a debilitating back injury.
Fast forward 12 months and the resurgent Spaniard is into her maiden major semi-final, lining up a clash with Aryna Sabalenka after sending in-form American Coco Gauff crashing out in a big Australian Open upset.
Once ranked as high as No.2 in the world, the 11th-seeded Badosa declared she was now playing better than ever after sending Gauff packing 7-5 6-4.
The No.3 seed from the US had been riding a 13-match winning streak but it counted for nought as Badosa claimed the only break of serve in the 11th game of the first set.
Badosa, 27, went up two breaks in the second set and overcame a few jittery moments before closing out the match in one hour and 43 minutes.
The prize for Badosa is a maiden grand slam semi-final, where she will take on two-time defending champion Sabalenka, who overcame a scare from Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win 6-2 2-6 6-3.
Delighted with how she handled a quarter-final scare, world No.1 Sabalenka heads into the final days of a bid for her third straight Australian Open title with renewed confidence.
Sabalenka, 26, cantered through the first set of her match against Pavlyuchenkova at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.
But Pavlyuchenkova hit back to claim the second set – the first Sabalenka has lost at Melbourne Park since the 2023 final against Elena Rybakina – and force the match to a decider.
A shaky Sabalenka managed to hold her nerve to prevail in an hour and 53 minutes and tee up the semi-final against 11th seed Badosa.
With AAP
