Sinner Sets Up Djokovic Australian Open Semifinal Showdown

Jannik Sinner’s relentless drive toward a historic Australian Open three-peat powered on Wednesday night in Melbourne, as the Italian star dispatched American Ben Shelton in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, to book his spot in the semi-finals. Despite clear signs of physical distress during the match, Sinner’s tactical prowess and mental fortitude were on full display, extending his unbeaten run at Melbourne Park to 19 matches and further tightening his grip over Shelton in their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry.

The night session on Rod Laver Arena saw Sinner, the two-time defending champion and current world No. 2, enter the court with a remarkable record against Shelton, having won eight of their previous nine encounters. True to form, he wasted no time asserting his authority, breaking Shelton early in the first set and never looking back. Sinner finished the opener with an impressive 18–4 winners-to-unforced-errors margin, a testament to his precision and ability to dictate play from the baseline.

Yet, there was an undercurrent of concern for Sinner’s physical condition. From the outset, commentators and fans alike noticed the Italian laboring between points, breathing heavily, and at times lacking his usual zip. Todd Woodbridge remarked, “Kind of unusual to see him breathing so heavily in game one. It’s not like they’ve played 30-shot rallies. Could just be trying to settle his heart rate.” Lleyton Hewitt echoed the sentiment, observing, “It’s a really distressed look at the moment.”

This wasn’t the first time Sinner had struggled physically during the tournament. In his third-round match, he was saved by the timely closure of the Rod Laver Arena roof as he began suffering major cramping in the heat. Since then, while he hasn’t dropped a set, his dominance hasn’t been as pronounced as in previous campaigns. “I was struggling (in the third round). We go day-by-day ... I felt like today I was moving again a little bit better, I feel stronger physically,” Sinner said in his post-match interview. “I’m very happy and especially to be in the semis. We know what challenge I’m up to (Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals) but we’ll hope for a great match.”

Sinner’s victory over Shelton marked his ninth Grand Slam semi-final appearance and third at the Australian Open, further solidifying his status among the sport’s elite. The win also pushed his record against American opponents in Grand Slam play to a perfect 18-0, and he improved to 6-2 against Top 10 players at the hard-court major, having lost his first two such encounters to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2022 and 2023.

For Shelton, the defeat was a familiar story. The eighth seed, who had dropped just one set en route to his third Australian Open quarter-final, once again found Sinner’s game impenetrable. Unable to unleash his trademark explosive serve and forehand, Shelton struggled to find rhythm, leaking 17 unforced errors in the second set alone and failing to convert any of his three break point opportunities. Sinner, meanwhile, continued to expose Shelton’s backhand and rush him on the forehand wing, dictating the pace throughout the two-hour, 23-minute contest.

“It is very tough to play against Ben,” Sinner acknowledged in his on-court interview. “He has a huge, huge serve and I feel like he is improving so much, year after year. Especially after the offseason, you don’t know how certain players are going to play against you and change lots of things. I am very happy with today’s performance.”

Amid the tennis drama, another subplot emerged regarding the use of wearable fitness trackers. Sinner had defended his use of the devices earlier in the tournament, explaining, “There is certain data what we would like to track a little bit on court. It’s not for the live thing. It’s more about (what) you can see after the match. These are datas what we would like to use also in practice sessions because from that you can practice on with the heart rate, how much calories you burn, all these kind of things.” However, he was asked by the umpire to remove the tracker during his quarter-final, a move he accepted, saying, “But rules are rules. I understand. I won’t use it again.”

With the win, Sinner now faces a blockbuster semi-final against Novak Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion and record-seeker bidding for his 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic’s own passage to the semis was marked by drama, as he advanced after Lorenzo Musetti retired injured while leading by two sets. Djokovic was quick to acknowledge the unfortunate circumstances, stating, “I don't know what to say except I feel really sorry for him and he was a far better player. I was on my way home tonight. Being in quarters of a grand slam, two sets to love up and being in full control, so unfortunate. He should have been a winner today, there's no doubt.”

The upcoming clash between Sinner and Djokovic is steeped in recent history and shifting momentum. Sinner has won their last five meetings—three of them in Grand Slam semi-finals, including the 2024 Australian Open, Roland Garros 2025, and Wimbledon 2025. This reversal in their rivalry has seen Sinner take a 6-4 lead in their official head-to-head, a remarkable turnaround from Djokovic’s earlier dominance. Djokovic himself admitted, “I lost to him I think four or five in a row, so he's just playing on such a high level right now, along with Carlos. They're the two best players in the world. I mean, [he is the] absolute favourite, but you never know. Hopefully I can deliver my A-game for that matchup, because that's what's going to be needed at least to have a chance.”

Sinner, for his part, is not taking anything for granted. “These are the moments you practise for,” he reflected. “I will wake up in the morning and will look forward to playing a good match hopefully. If you want to win you have to play at your best. In the past I have had great lessons and it doesn’t really matter the result, it improves you as a player and a person. We are lucky to still have Novak here, playing incredible tennis at his age.”

As the Australian Open barrels toward its closing weekend, all eyes will be on the high-stakes semi-final showdown between Sinner and Djokovic, scheduled for Friday night, January 30, 2026. With Sinner aiming for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final and Djokovic seeking to reclaim his Melbourne throne, anticipation couldn’t be higher. Will Sinner’s physical concerns catch up to him, or will his mastery over Djokovic continue? The tennis world waits with bated breath.